Some Natural Hair Styles To Beautify Your Week Ahead

Good morning beautiful people! I trust you've all had an amazing weekend so far and are looking forward to the new week ahead.

Just thought I'd bring you a few of the gorgeous hair styles we've created on some of our lovely clients, just to encourage someone out there that natural hair is beautifully versatile and you can achieve soooo much!!!

Happy viewing

luscious thick hair styled into this simple yet gorgeous roll effect

This next one we named the 'Glowreeyah" (Go figure loll). Some intricate weaving and crochet on top with some colored extensions; styled into this gorgeousness.

My 'Her Given Hair' U Part Wig.

If you've read a couple of my posts you would have noticed there are 2 things I absolutely love - Crotchet braids and wigs!! I also like big hair so I'm very partial to afro or curly textured extensions. When it comes to 'Human Hair' extensions for natural hair, the ones I've worked with and love are Heat Free and Her Given Hair so when I got the chance to get my very own Her Given Hair  U Part wig, I was over the moon!!

Just like most other makers of natural human hair extensions, there are 3 types of textures - Kinky, Coily and Curly. In my experience, the Kinkiest textures are typically very hard to maintain and I really wasn't in the mood to handle 2 heads of kinky hair (counting mine of course) So I opted for the Coily texture which is somewhere in between Kinky and curly.

Hair Not Retaining Length? A Few Tips To Help.

Source: Thirstyroots.com

I have spoken about this a few times in the past but it always helps to re iterate.

The most recurring complaint I get when I speak to naturals is 'My hair is not growing'!!! or 'My hair has stopped growing'! And I always say, barring any medical conditions or medication that may truly be stopping your hair from growing; hair is ALWAYS growing. HOWEVER, if your hair is breaking off at the ends at the same (or faster) rate at which it is growing, then it is only logical that it remains at the same length and feeds your belief that your hair is not growing or has stopped growing.

The ends are the oldest and most fragile part of the hair and so need the most (and gentlest) attention. If you treat them right, they don't break off and sabotage your length retention goals. If also you invest a ton of money in hair growth products or vitamins, you will be wasting that money because hair grows from the roots but breaks off at the ends. So if you're increasing your growth at the roots but you neglect the ends, you'll still end up at the same place you started!

Loving My Outre 'Tess' Wig !

So this year has been all about protective styling using wigs. It's been so convenient for me as I'm able to wash and condition my hair regularly and moisturize effectively every day. During one of my Instagram haunts :) I came upon this lovely looking wig being worn and reviewed by a lady who goes by the name @naturalbelle and I was smitten!

Since I was in the UK for a couple of weeks, I decided to order it from Afrostyling.com and give it a go. It's an Outre wig called 'Tess' and has the texture of a Yaki Straight weave. Totally soft, full lace front and has an 'L' shaped part which I think is really different and quite nice.

First Protective Style of The Year - Crochet With Havana Mambo Twist.

In light of the fact that I'm continuing with my protective styling this year, I decided that after about 2 weeks of deep conditioning and moisturizing my hair while it was out; it was time for it to go back into hiding.

It took me a while to decide what exactly I wanted to do - which is quite strange for me. I'm usually decisive about what I want to do and will plan like 3 - 4 styles ahead of time. For the last couple of days, I lined up Finger comber Hair, Afri Naptural Reggae braid and marley bulk hair on my bed and kept contemplating on what look I was going for.

At the last minute I decided I was going to get Havana Twists by crocheting the Havana Mambo Twist hair ( which wasn't one my initial choices by the way lol) Once that was decided, I chose the shade I wanted (sort of an Ombre Burgundy) and was good to go.

Of Blonde Ambitions and Dramatic Births

via GIPHY
Sooooooooooooo!!!!! Tuesday August the 11th is a day I shall never ever forget as long as I live!! One of the stylists in the salon who is pregnant, resumed as usual in the morning, finished up my hair (she'd done it the thursday before but I wanted it a little bigger) and then proceeded to attend to another customer. I noticed she'd been in and out of the toilet a few times and I even saw her carrying a bucket one time as the WC hadn't filled up quickly enough for her to flush the next time she used it.

She came to me and said she wasn't feeling well and needed to leave so I said not a problem. At this time, we were running low on kinky extensions and I quickly left to buy in the next street - spent about 10 minutes and drove back to the salon.

Having Natural Hair = No Braids or Weaves?!

It's funny how in the last 4 weeks since I've had braids, I've had mixed reactions from people who haven't seen me rock braids since I went natural.  A number of people actually stop me, call me or send me messages asking me why I have braids on if I'm supposed to be natural??

I was mystified the first time it happened actually - I mean is there a memo somewhere that I missed?




I say this because a number of them actually spoke with forceful authority as to how I have no business with extensions in my hair since I'm supposed to be 'natural' lolllll

I've come to take it in my stride or laugh it off when I'm not in the mood to explain but when I am, all I say is , braids and weaves are a form of 'protective styling' that can be worn by anyone whether natural, relaxed or transitioning. They help you retain length as you don't have to worry about daily styling manipulation.

Sometimes they way I'm asked is akin to my being accused of betraying a trust/code or something - mind you, most times these questions are from non natural peeps so it makes me wonder how they came about their own interpretations of what it means to have natural hair.

My (Mis) Adventures in Protective Styling Land

My first weave install in years.

Sigh. Honestly, I'm not sure what's been happening with me and my hair in the last 2 weeks but I've had back to back protective styling fails! The first was my late night crochet braid attempt that ended with me taking everything out before I even finished installing them.

Then remember on Monday when I said I might just go and fix a weave seeing as it was my day off? Well, I did. First let me say, I'm so clueless when it comes to weaves that it's not even funny lol. I went to Ebeano Supermarket first and I remember over hearing my stylists talking amongst themselves about how good the brand 'Chocolate' was; so even though I was almost overwhelmed by the different kinds, brands, textures and colors on display, my eyes settled on the Chocolate brand.

They didn't have the color I wanted so ended up going to the salon Downtown in Victoria Island (which is where I ended up fixing the hair) Settled for a 16 inch straight weave in color 4. When the stylist was fixing it, he kept laughing and saying ' you don't really like weaves do you?' because every time the hair so much as stayed on my face for more than 5 seconds I kept furiously brushing it away. - That should have been my pointer to the fact that something was up with my face and the weave.

Breakage Vs Shedding Part 3 (Manipulation and Improper care)

So in this final part to the Breakage Vs Shedding Series, we'll be looking at how the ways we sometimes handle our hair (over manipulating) can cause breakage. Over manipulation could take varying forms - from constantly combing, twirling and styling, to playing with and generally tugging at the hair ( What is called the 'Hand in Hair Syndrome' and I am sooo guilty of this!).

The more our fragile strands are moved about, the more they rub against one another causing friction and sometimes, locking around one another leading to knots and eventually breakage. Our hair has a low stress point breakage and this is why protective and low manipulation styling are so important. They keep the hair safely protected in a style that prevents you from constantly combing and styling the hair (things like braids, weaves, twists etc)

Improper care (which kinda also covers over manipulation) is just the wrong handling of hair - making it more susceptible to breakage. Things like combing when dry, not protecting the ends of your hair which are the oldest and therefore the most fragile, failing to cover hair with a satin/silk scarf/cap at night and thereby causing the hair to rub against the cotton pillowcase, causing friction, loss of moisture and eventually breakage.

Super Duper Moisturizing Deep Conditioner and revisiting my wigs!

Ah! How I love Mondays! I get to actually rest and think clearly and not be worried about late coming staff, the heat, the generator or how to get fuel (these last couple of weeks have been especially trying what with the fuel scarcity and someone's bright idea to give a directive that fuel should not be sold into jerry cans. I mean, in a country where we practically provide our own power, you'd think someone somewhere would be sensible enough before making directives such as these. Or are we supposed to carry our generators to the Fuel Stations??!)

Anyhoo, so I decided to give my hair some pampering (my hair hasn't been washed in 2 weeks) and what with the heat, all that sweat from bootcamp and all the oils and stuff I've been using to combat the dryness I was experiencing, there was a little bit of a funk going on deep down in the roots lol!

I want to braid my hair again for the next 8 weeks (hopefully) so I knew I was due for some proper cleansing and deep conditioning to fortify my hair.

I got my hair threaded!!

A few weeks ago, a customer came in for a hair treatment (Hi Iyabo!) and she had her hair threaded in a very lovely style - I knew immediately I had to get that style on my own head asap!
Even though I knew I was going to get it done, I struggled with figuring out when exactly to get it done - particularly as I was planning on sticking to the crown and glory technique as my protective styling option this year (even though it's just the 2nd month of the year and already I've had my fill of braids - at least for now lol) and this was a little off the path of said technique.

Anyway, a few nights ago, I had an epiphany while staring off into space trying to figure out something totally unrelated: since I was gagging to have my braids out, why not take them out, have my own hair for a few days as I was missing it so much and then have it threaded by Friday (seeing as my weekends are too busy to make out some 3 hours for my hair and who knows what next week will be like?).

I've probably said it before that I'm quite impulsive so without thinking too much about it, I took out my braids, called the lady to book a home appointment (I'm also going to have her come train me and my girls in the salon) and last night, Bam! I got it done :)

Natural Hair Tips For Beginners.

*I originally wrote this piece as a contributor on another blog but I've decided to re - post here*

Going natural can be a liberating, exciting and enjoyable experience as you discover your real texture(s), learn what it likes and doesn't, and explore new ways to wear your hair. As enjoyable as it can be, it can also be a daunting task because let's face it - how many of us were taught how to care for our hair when we were growing up?

A lot of our mothers were frustrated taking care of our hair and it is that feeling of frustration that most of us have associated with our natural hair. The reason most of us got relaxers was to escape the ‘unmanageability’ of our natural hair as the general belief was that the only way we could look pretty and/or manage our hair was if it was relaxed bone straight. Back then having natural hair (or being ‘natchie’) was seen as uncool and even local.

Thankfully, with awareness, information and more ladies rocking their natural tresses and growing it to previously unheard of lengths; more women are beginning to embrace their own hair, discovering that all it takes is patience and learning. 

So with that in mind, I've put together a few things that I believe will help if you've recently become natural, are transitioning, just thinking about the idea or if you need some extra tips to help you on your healthy hair journey.