Rest in Peace, Lena Horne

Sadly, Lena Horne has passed away at the age of 92. She will always be remembered for not only her acting but her activism. Truly a remarkable woman. Please click the following link for the story: Lena Horne

May she Rest in Peace...

DMV Natural Hair Meet-Up!

Ladies! I am helping to organize a natural hair meet-up on June 19th!! That's a Saturday. The time is TBD, but it will be in Laurel, MD. If you're interested in attending, please RSVP via email: DMVnaturals@gmail.com -- Please don't RSVP via this blog, we (I am doing this along with @Safi_HairCare on Twitter) are tracking all RSVPs using the above email account.

I hope to see you there!!!

Do You Make Your Own Hair Products?

Hi, Everyone!!

I was checking some sites out earlier today and realized (again) that I should/could be making my own hair products for my natural hair. I came across a few sites that I wanted to share with you all.

• You can buy Wholesale Shea Butter from this site: http://www.sheabutterweb.com/ (as well as Black soap, if you're interested.)
• Find several oils (essential oils, vegetable oils, etc.) here: Oils by Nature
• Do you like mixing your own products but don't have containers to store them in? No problem!! Buy them here, at a LOW PRICE! www.specialtybottle.com

Here's an EASY recipe for making shea butter souffle (great hair moisturizer and/or sealant, much easier to apply then shea butter alone):
2 parts coconut oil, 1/2 part shea butter, and 1/2 part castor oil. I came across this online today and plan to try it in the next week or so.

Feel free to share your own recipes or anything else you'd like to add :) We can all learn from each other!

What is a friend, anyway?

So, lately I have been asking myself this question. What exactly IS a friend? Sometimes, I feel I may put a lot of weight on this word. I mean, I take "friend" very seriously. I expect a friend to be there for me, not just when times are good and it's time to have fun, but when times get rough. I look at a real friend like family. Yet, I am always surprised at how other people, even those I've considered my friends, take that word so lightly. There seems to be no loyalty, people are dishonest, and take you for granted. I try to be there for my friends, but I am only one person, so I do the best I can. Maybe they're doing the best THEY can? I don't know...

I have friends and associates - they are two different things to me. Friends are the ones I can talk to about serious issues, who I know will be there for me, and I know without a shadow of a doubt they have my back and for the most part, they can be trusted (I never trust anyone 100% because people are just human and all have flaws). Associates are those I may chat with here and there, go out with, maybe shop with. You know, just the fun stuff.

How do you all view friends/friendships? I'd love to hear and get all your opinions, whether you agree or disagree :)

No Regrets...

Just wanted to share this super-cute pic I saw online! I love it. Wish I could have it in a painting and put it up in my place... 

Mini Twists - Revisited

I've decided to put the twists back in. I did these the exact same way as I did them back in January (see this link for instructions). I love twists. They're a great protective style and you can do so many cute up-do's (which I personally love) or just wear them down if you want. I think I will keep re-doing the twists every 2-3 weeks for the next month or two :)

If YOU plan on doing twists, let me know how yours turned out!


Some pics:

When We Do Too Much to Our Hair...

I've had so many conversations with friends and family members, asking why their hair "won't grow" and what can they do or what products can they buy to make it grow faster? I have some friends and family who always come to me asking what I did, as if I did some magic trick or something "special" to get my hair to be healthy and/or long (even in my relaxed-hair-days). Let me just say, I get the best results when I do LESS to my hair. I truly believe less is more, when it comes to our hair. No need to try all these different "potions" and tricks to create this fabulous head of hair. The key is: STOP DOING TOO MUCH.

So, what is "too much"? Everyone is different. What works for one person may not work for someone else. You have to stick with what works FOR YOU. Which brings me to #1.

1. Stop trying different products every week and wondering why your results are not consistent. If you find a product that gives your hair sheen and body, and makes it feel good, keep using it. No sense in trying something new just because you heard someone talking about this new product on youtube or on a hair blog if what you're using already works.

2. Low-manipulation. Try not to do too much to your hair as far as styling goes. What I mean is, if you style your hair, try to keep that style for at least a week without manipulating it too much. For example, if you do a twist-out, if you can preserve it for a few days, do that. The longer you go without manipulating your hair too much, the better off your hair will be. Trust me, I know how we like to have different styles all the time. I, too, get bored VERY easily. But it's worth it.

3. Small-tooth combs are NOT your friend. This is more for the natural chicas. I hate to see rat-tail combs used on our hair to comb out sections. And really, the only time naturally curly hair should be combed (with a wide-tooth comb) is when it's wet and preferably with conditioner so that it glides through your hair easier. You get less breakage of your hair strands that way, therefore maintaining length.

4. You don't need a ton of products on your hair everyday. Remember that natural hair loves water. I find that my hair keeps moisture better if I apply my oil/moisturizer while my hair is wet, rather than dry. But you typically don't need a lot of product piled onto your hair every day.

5. Lastly, remember that kinky/curly hair is fragile. Yes, it may look strong & tough, but it really requires care and consistency. It's important to keep it protected as much as possible - ESPECIALLY at night. Sleep with a satin bonnet or scarf at night, or if you're like me and don't like the bonnet too much, sleep with a satin pillowcase. The key is to be consistent. One or two nights on a cotton pillowcase with no bonnet/scarf can cause lots of unnecessary dryness.

I hope these tips helped. It's the small things that count. Just take care with your hair and be consistent in your efforts, and the growth and health of your hair will come!

Natural Hair Expo 2010

Ladies! If you live in the DMV (DC/Maryland/Virginia) area, you really should come out to the Natural Hair Expo this Saturday and Sunday (March 20-21). It's in Baltimore, and it's $10 admission (I am not sure if that covers both days or just one). I will be there on Saturday for most of the day. Let me know if you plan on coming out, so we can meet up! :)

Here is the link for more information: Baltimore Natural Hair Expo 2010 . Check this site for: times, classes, schedule, what time the event starts/ends on each day, vendors that will be there, etc.


Hope to see you there!!

My Favorite Hair Products

In my 16 months of being natural, I've tried quite a few products. Well, I have a NEW list of staples that I cannot live without. Some products are the same, while some I've recently discovered. Here they are, below:

• Mixed Chicks Shampoo - I've tried using shampoos without sulfates, etc. But I had so much build-up and my hair wasn't responding well. It's true that sulfates can dry out natural hair. HOWEVER, I am a true believer that if something works for you, keep doing it. THIS shampoo works very well for me. It cleans without stripping my hair - it never feels dry, just... clean. I love it!
• Mixed Chicks Leave-In - This is a creamy leave-in. Love it! It provides so much moisture AND hold, so now I use it for my twist-outs after washing my hair.
• Herbal Essence Hello Hydration - When I do co-washes, I just use this conditioner. Works very well. Low-cost, keeps my hair moisturized. Great slip, too.
• Aubrey Organics White Camellia Conditioner - I use this as my deep conditioner.  This is the best one I've tried and alleviates all hair dryness issues for me. I use this once every 2 weeks.
• Pure, un-refined Shea Butter - I get this from my local beauty supply. LOVE IT! I've been using this since I BC'd. It's inexpensive, and just does the job. One jar/carton lasts me months. 
• Extra-Virgin Coconut Oil - Another staple that I've been using for quite some time now. A little goes a LONG way. Perfect, light oil. What I typically do is mix a small amount with shea butter, melt it enough to mix/whip it together, and apply it to my hair when damp as I two-strand twist. I take the twists out once dry and my hair is moisturized and soft.

Those are the products I use, folks. I love simplicity, so less is more when it comes to maintenance for me. You can find Mixed Chicks at local natural hair salons (check to see if they sell it there) or go their site: www.mixedchicks.net. Aubrey Organics and Coconut Oil (any brand is fine) I've gotten from The Vitamin Shoppe. Herbal Essence Hello Hydration you can get at your local Target, Walmart, CVS, etc.

Raheem DeVaughn Interview

For those who are Raheem DeVaughn fans, here is his recent interview with Mo'nique on her show. He is such a great and underrated artist!! Pick up his latest album, "The Love and War Masterpiece", if you haven't already.