Confession: The Real Reason Why I Went Natural (Short & Sweet)

I’ve talked a lot about my experiences with being natural, going natural, etc…but I’ve never talked about exactly why i went natural. So here it is…The reason why I decided to go natural was because the front of my hair was not growing. My hair overall and my edges in the front were dry, frail and breaking with every touch….its a wonder that I wasn’t bald. While the rest of my hair was spiraling down my back…I was too ashamed to even show it because the front of my hair was so short. I didn’t even have a bang and I barely saw my real hair on a good day nor did I ever take a photo of it.

Whats the point of having long hair if you can’t even be proud and show it? So I aspire to have healthy and long hair. I don’t want just a strand or two of my hair to be 24 inches…I want all of it to be even and thick…and I’m prepared and dedicated to get it that way. Patience is the key.

-Jazzie

Hair Tip: Dipping Ends of Braids Dry Method

Depending on the hair you are using…after a while, with all the dipping in hot water, the ends will start to look trashy and ashy…I usually don’t keep them in for longer than three weeks after I start dipping.

There is a way to get your ends straight OR curly without using hot water…

for the curly method: if you are wearing braids that are loose at the ends, just blow them straight with a hand-held dryer (the braid hair can be dry or damp, doesn’t matter) —the blowing will make the hair super-straight, then you can braid them up, leave them over-night, undo them in the morning and you will have wavy braids.  You can do this over and over for several weeks. The hair wont get trashy like it does with hot water over time…when you undo the braids, just add a little light oil to give it some sheen.

Now, to get the hair straight, all you have to do is use a blow-dryer once again with a comb attachment and blow the hair on the highest setting. it will become super-straight, without the use of hot water. You can do this over and over for several weeks.

Credit to: http://forum.blackhairmedia.com/dipping-your-ends-in-hot-water_topic113254_page1.html

Goal Completed: Found A Good Moisturizer! Softsheen Carson Mango Oil & Cupuacu Butter Feather Whipped Curl Cream &Pink Growcomplex 3000 Hair Dress Review

So I am so happy to say that I no longer am in need of a good moisturizer because I found them! How did I know I found the right moisturizer?  Well I tried doing twists on my hair. Before i did the big chop and I had long hair I still had a problem with high porosity and I could not retain moisture well. So every time I went to twist my hair the twist would never stay in and the ends would never twist right…now…with the big chop + moisture..the twist stayed in overnight honey! I mentioned the moisturizers I used before…and I just wanted to correct myself. I said the curl moisturizer I was using was shea butter but that was incorrect. The name of the curl cream is SOFTSHEEN CARSON Mango oil & Cupuacu Butter Feather Whipped Curl Cream. The other moisturizer I m using is Pink GrowComplex 3000 Hair Dress.

Now with the curl cream after I spritz my hair with water I apply it first. It helps bring out/define my curls. Since it’s dense I use it as part of my moisturizer because it stays on well over night. With the Pink GrowComplex…its  very light cream. I apply that to my hair after I apply the curl cream. The Pink GrowComplex helps soften my hair, makes it feel stronger and keeps the moisture in…its kind of like a seal for my hair, I actually don’t even need to use my little olive oil/coconut oil mixture as a seal anymore because this works fine by its self.

I actually went 2 days without moisturizing my hair and it still stayed moist. When I spritz it with water my hair just revives and feels better. My hair doesn’t get greasy from it but depending on how much you use it could feel a little like product build up overtime…thats when I would wash my hair.

The down side of this is the curl cream cost $7.99 + tax where I got it from.The Pink GrowComplex cost $5.99…so if I  run out of this every month I’ll be paying bout $16 unless I stretch them out. But you know what…that’s better than blowing money on trying to find out WHAT to use….I’m sooo glad I did the big chop. I love learning something new every day!

-Jazzie

Progress! Capturing moisture!

So I’m in the phase of going from dry to moist with my hair. This week I have braided my hair…yes I know..braiding 3 to 4 inches of hair…but its possible 😀 Anyway I spritz my hair with water and detangled it with a wide tooth comb (paddle brushes only worked for me when my hair was long) then braided it in corn rows…left out a  little of my hair in the front because I wear half wigs…right now I’m rocking the wig “Tammy from Outre”…best half wig ever..its the only wig that I have worn for 3 months straight without it looking horrible but natural..best investment ever!

Then after I finished braiding my hair I spritz it with water again because the water dried…then I put a little conditioner on my hair, rub it in then sealed it with my olive oil/rosemary oil/ coconut oil mix. As for the hair I left out I sealed it with the oil then I sealed it with gel..I had to put a lot more extra on my front because it is the driest part o my head since I manipulate it the most. Also since I like to manipulate the front of my hair alot I stopped using a brush and only use my hands when using gel..I don’t want to keep putting stress on the front. I completely left out my african pride moisturizer because I wanted to see how my hair would retain the moisture. Turns out it kept really good! So no more african pride. Also I dont know if I should be using conditioner apart of my daily regimen without actually washing my hair…especially since I plan to skip a week or 2 on shampooing…actually I might take that completely out since it takes moisture away…but I will keep using the conditioner since it works for me or if my hair says otherwise.

Two days post the braids I took them out spritzed my hair with water and detangled my hair by finger then I used my wide tooth comb to puff it out in a afro..I can definitely see a difference in my hair now..it actually looked like it grew even my edges which have always been the shortest part  of my hair but maybe because its getting moisture now. (Sorry no pictures..wont be taking one until the end of november to see the difference in my progress).

So that will be my daily regimen for “now”. NEXT is starting my workout plan. Last year I lost 20 pounds working out and counting my calories but..I did it wrong. I wasn’t really eating healthy I was only staying under my calorie count. So this time I want to do it right..I want to eat healthy and exercise….I want to have fun with this not make it my “duty” to do.

P.S. I Am Natural Even If I Wear a Wig or Weave..its a protective style, for all you naturals that think otherwise go kick a large boulder!

-Jazzie

Hair Journey: Big Chop Experience so far…

Fighting with Moisture

When I was transitioning I did not have to moisturize my hair nearly as much as I am now. The other day my hair felt pretty moist then today it just felt as dry as ever! Its a little frustrating. I think there are 3 reasons why my hair is so dry.

• ONE: A combination of High Porosity and heat Damage from so much blow drying over the past. I used to let my hair just naturally dry but it would tangle so I stopped doing it and took the easier route…blow drying. I have no stopped blow drying and I let my hair naturally dry….have I really seen a difference? No, still has the same effect, my hair is pretty dry either way.

I watched a Youtube Guru the other day that just happened to cross my mind, LeobodyC5…she has insanely long natural hair, love it! As I was watching one of her videos on her hair routine she mentioned how at one point she had to cut a tremendous amount of hair because it was damaged from too much blow drying or heat damage. So right now I’m wondering if I should big chop again this time ALL my hair or am  I in another phase of transitioning…grow 3 inches of hair and cut off all that I have right now…hmm

• TWO: It’s dry because I big chopped…a lot of women said they had a to constantly moisturize when they big chopped because their hair was so dry.

• THREE: I have a very strong feeling it probably has to do with the product I’m using to moisturize. I’m using African Pride Moisturizing Lotion…it’s a very thin moisturizer so that may be my problem right there.  Right now I’m looking for a thick product that I can use…I really hate this whole trial and error thing because who wants to keep spending there money? Lol..

What am I doing to correct this?

Searching for a new moisturizing product. The next product I will try for my moisturizer…I don’t know..I have this list of moisturizers, conditioners, shampoos for naturals from this facebook group that I am in..I’ll post it later on today and highlight the products of interest to me. One product that I keep hearing about is Sheabutter…or something like that…I wouldn’t mind purchasing it but I hate using the same thing that EVERYONE seems to be using I want to try something different.

Also while I search for a new moisturizers I’m moisturizing my hair constantly…I moisturize in the morning and at night…sometimes in the afternoon.

So this is what I am having difficulties with right now.

-JAZZIE