The big chop is sometimes the most scariest things to do when making the decision to go natural. It takes a lot of courage and self esteem to make such a drastic change. Some women are subject to many stereotypes that only women with long hair are beautiful. We all know that's just not true!! We as women are beautiful no matter the length,texture or color of our hair. We should love who we are from within,and take whatever it is God has blessed us with. For years women of color have been told that our hair can not be managed in it's original state. We were told that it was to kinky, or nappy. This also is untrue. Natural hair is one of the most beautiful types of hair when managed properly.

​Twist outs are the most conventional hairstyle for natural hair. This style is done by using the two strand twist or three strand method. You will get better results if you twist at night and take out in the morning. The result is beautiful defined coils. The products you use can cause a different outcome. The key is to choose what works best for your hair. Depending upon the grade of your hair, they can last from one to seven days before you have to redo them.

Dread Heads.......Loc nation!

 

Washing Dreads



​It is important to keep your dreads clean!!! Once you have established the locking stage you should wash ​your hair at least once a week. Cold water works best. You want to stay away from shampoos and conditioners that cause residue build up. Pick natural shampoos that do not contain sodium laurel sulphates, perfums and condititioners. Residues can cause irritation and slow the dreading process down. It can trap dirt, water and mildew making the hair smell.









Baking soda recipe for deep clean dreads:





Mix 3/4 cup of baking soda in a gallon of water

15 drops organic tea tree oil 

15 drops of organic peppermint oil

5 drops organic rosemary oil



Pour over entire head while in shower.



note: Always make sure dreads are dry before you put on satin head wrap at night. It may cause dreads to mildew and smell.













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Locking the hair goes way back to our Bob Marley days, and well before him. It shows a since of power and respect. Making a statement without saying a word!!! You may think this is a worry free hairstyle, think again!! If you choose to wear locs you must know it has to be maintained properly in order to keep it beautiful and healthy.

 

Hair Locking

Coloring natural hair

Coloring the hair can be a lot of fun. It gives you a chance to express yourself and find a color that suits your own unique style. Coloring can be very drying to the hair. Keeping the hair moisturized and deep conditioned helps to keep the hair strand healthy and free from breakage.

Some naturals look down on hair dyeing simply because it is a chemical in which you are trying to run away from in the first place, right? Even though dyeing the hair is much safer than the chemicals from hair perms, it can still be harmful. Use protein treatments regularly to help build back the structure of hair folicels that have been altered by hair dye. This as well as moisture balance will help keep your beautiful coils looking and feeling its best. 

The myths of scalp greasing

The grease we use to use back when our grandmothers brushed our hair in little pigtails is not what is recommended for our hair and scalps today. We use to think parting our hair in sections and filling it up with mineral oil and petroleum filled grease was the trick to maintaining long healthy beautiful hair. We love our grannies, but telling her that she was wrong would be a hard task being that this has been the way for so long. Fortunately, we do not have to go through this process at all. Petroleum and mineral oils not only clog the scalp pores, if you suffer from dandruff, it can irritate or worsen the dandruff. Dandruff is caused by a type of fungus called malassezia. 

    It is best to use natural oils like coconut oil, and jojoba oils which will penetrate the scalp instead of just sitting on top of the scalp. Another missconseption with dry scalp relieve is oiling the scalp directly. It is better to do hot oil treatments every two weeks to a month depending on how dry your scalp is. You may also want to only message oils into the scalp instead of direct treatment.





Organic Apple cider vinegar hair mask

 

3 tbsp organic coconut oil

2 tsp organic apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp organic honey

5 drops organic tea tree oil



pour ingredients into a mixing bowl to make a paste. Apply to hair messaging into the scalp. Leave on for 15 to 30 min with plastic cap.

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Organic Apple cider vinegar and rosemary hair rinse

1 cup of organic apple cider vinegar

2 tsp organic lemon juice

3 cups of organic infused rosemary water



pour rinse into hair with a color applicator paying special attention to the scalp. message throughout then rinse with cool water.



These simple recipes will help combat dandruff and dry scalp issues. 









Product junkie

Trying out different products can be fun as well as overwhelming. We have so many products out today to choose from than we did ten years ago. The natural hair market has taken a dramatic increase. So what is the best product for your hair? Only your hair has the answer to that question. Our hair has a way of telling us exactly what it likes and dislikes. Reading the labels and making sure we are choosing what is best for our hair is key. Labels are tricky. They may have words like organic and natural, but only have a couple of organic and natural ingredients that only make up  10 to 20 percent of the product. The more vitamins and nutrients a product has oppose to the chemicals labeled in a product the better it is for your hair. Finding your staple products that your hair love can sometimes take a long time. Don't be afraid to try something new. You may find your perfect match. Once you do, try to begin a hair care regimen with those products. Even when you have found your staple products trying new things every now and then won't hurt. Just remember to pay attention to what your hair needs.