Confessions Of A Naturalista Pt 2

This week the beautiful Naturalista Lisandra Pantophlet has shared her transitioning journey with us. Read her story & Be Inspired !! DARE TO BE DIFFERENT! ... DARE TO ROCK YOUR HAIR WITH CONFIDENCE!!

I had my last relaxer in February of 2012, so I am proudly two years relaxer-free! My initial reason for not continuing to relax my hair was because I was tired of seeing how thin my hair was getting. So at first I just wanted to give my hair a little break from the harsh chemical. I would braid my hair and leave those in and that kind of helped with not dealing with my hair for a couple months. After a couple months I started thinking about going natural. But I was totally frightened about rocking a short fro, I wasn’t ready for that kind of commitment. I had been wanting to lock my hair and most people I talked to about it kept telling me that the best way to start them was to “start from scratch”, but I was still skeptical about it. Until one day in October of 2012 I have no idea what came over me, but I asked a friend of mine to just cut my hair, just cut off my straightened ends. After my ends were cut, I shed a few tears in the mirror because I couldn’t believe I actually did it and I missed my hair immediately. The Saturday after I cut my hair I braided it, like I said before I could not deal with rocking a short fro. I redid my braids and by January of 2013 I decided to rock my TWA (Teeny Weeny Afro). I enjoyed it for awhile, but then I started becoming bored with it, because there were hardly any styles that I could do with it.

I was also becoming a product junkie. I would buy all kinds of products to experiment with and learned what products worked well with my hair and what products didn’t go too well with my hair. One product I tried but didn’t like was ‘Ms. Jacksons Curl La La’. The smell of it is amazing but it would flake my hair so badly, I hated it. One product that I loved was ‘Curl Nouveau’ because it moisturized my hair and made it so soft! One product that I have been using continuously is ‘Ecostyler Gel’ it really helps to define my curls and keep my hair in tact. I have also started using ‘Jamaican Black Castor Oil (JBCO)’ and ‘Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)’. I love using JBCO when doing my twists, I have gotten the best twist out results so far since I have been using this oil. I use EVOO to pre-poo (which is putting oil in your hair for 30 mins before washing regularly).

I was always reading reviews, following different hair pages, blogs and instagrams, just trying to get myself educated. I would also go on youtube and look up different videos for information & inspiration. I would look up different hair charts to figure out what kind of hair type I had, until I was convinced that there was no way my hair type could be on any of those charts (my hair was harder than a mutha!). I eventually came to a conclusion that my hair type was 4C. As my hair continued to grow out I started realizing that I had a mixture of different hair types (the back of my hair is like 4A, the front, 4B and the middle is definitely 4C!). I love it and hate it at the same time. But I will say, I do not, I repeat DO NOT miss relaxing my hair! I love the versatility of my natural hair, I love doing twist-outs, braiding my hair etc. Going natural really tests your patience and helps you to realize that everyone’s journey is different. Not because you saw someone else with curly hair does that mean that when you go natural you will have the same texture as that person. You shouldn’t feel bad that someone else’s hair grows faster than yours, you just have to embrace your own type of hair for what it is. In the beginning my hair was growing faster than it is growing at the moment. And that’s okay, I just can’t wait until I have shoulder length hair (that’s bouncy and healthy of course). That’s my hair goal at the moment. I don’t want to put my expectations too high. Sometimes I do wish that my hair was curlier and easier to handle, but I just have to accept my hair for what it is. Sometimes people ask me if I still want to lock my hair, and I don’t think I will do that anytime soon, just because now I have an actual hair goal and I am enjoying the possibilities so far.

In my picture I've kinda thrown together a set of pictures from the day I cut off my straightened ends until how my hair looks now. And don’t forget you don’t go natural, you return, cause natural is where it began!

We Got A Remedy For That!!!

Why go out and buy expensive treatment for your hair when treatment is right at home in your fridge and cupboards? Ladies Save yourself the money and put it towards that new dress you have been waiting forever to buy! And make your hair treatment from scratch!

Dull Hair… We got a remedy for that

Styling products including air pollution can leave a film that both saps moisture and dulls shine—but dairy products like sour cream and plain yogurt can help reverse this damage. "Lactic acid gently strips away dirt while the milk fat moisturizes," says Lisa Belkin, author of The Cosmetics Cookbook.

To Use: Massage 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt into damp hair and let sit for 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water, followed by cool water, then shampoo hair as you normally would. Treatment can be applied every other week.

Itchy Scalp…We got a remedy for that

 To fight flakes—brought on by poor diet, stress and climate, among other factors—try a lemon juice and olive oil mixture in your hair. "The acidity in lemon juice helps rid your scalp of any loose, dry flakes of skin, while the olive oil moisturizes the [newly exposed] skin on your head," says Cox.

To Use: Mix 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 2 Tbsp olive oil and 2 Tbsp water, and massage into damp scalp. Let mixture sit for 20 minutes, then rinse and shampoo hair. Treatment can be applied every other week.

Dry, Sun Damaged Hair…We got a remedy for that

Whatever your hair-dehydrating demon—hard water, sun overexposure, your trusty flat iron—nature's sweetener can help. "Honey is a natural humectant, which means it attracts and locks in moisture," says Cox.

To Use: Massage approximately 1/2 cup honey into clean, damp hair, let sit for 20 minutes, then rinse with warm water. You can also add 1 to 2 Tbsp olive oil to loosen the honey for easier application. For extremely sun-damaged hair, trying mixing honey with 1 to 2 Tbsp of a protein-rich ingredient, like avocado or egg yolk, which will help replenish the keratin protein bonds that UV rays attack. Treatment can be applied once a month.

Frizzy Hair….We got a remedy for that

Home beauty experts swear by avocado—and not just to repair damaged hair. Its oils (which are light and moist like our own natural skin secretions) and proteins boast the best combination of nutrients for smoothing and weighing down unruly hair, explains Cox.

To Use: Mash up half an avocado and massage into clean, damp hair. Let sit for 15 minutes before rinsing with water. Amp up moisturizing power by combining mashed avocado with 1 to 2 Tbsp of a hydrating ingredient, like sour cream, egg yolks or mayonnaise. Treatment can be applied every two weeks.

Confessions Of a 'Naturalista'!

This week I've decided to switch things up a bit I've asked 4 beautiful young women to share their experiences of having natural hair and throughout the following days I will be sharing their stories with you,

!! DARE TO BE DIFFERENT! ... DARE TO ROCK YOUR HAIR WITH CONFIDENCE!!

NATURALISTA #1: 

Leanarda Niles she has been a Naturalista all her life and she would like to share what she is doing to maintain her hair & keep Healthy. 

I CANTU, do you?

I’ve been natural all my life, a born natural, but only recently have I embarked on a journey to true healthy natural hair. When I was about twelve I realized that my hair was “short”, which didn’t seem to bother me much but I then started to long for “longer” hair. During that time my cousin, who is very good with hair, used to braid my hair for me in all kinds of styles and this started the growth path for me. My hair soon became “long” and I was content. Throughout the years I’ve experienced braids and more recently weave.

My journey to healthy natural hair truly started after my move to Canada, when I visited home I realized that my hair had been so dry and damaged and poorly taken care of. After this I vowed to start caring for my hair in much better ways than before. I’ve experimented with different products here and there, but more recently I've been using CANTU SHEA BUTTER LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER. I love it because it works for me and it smells great! I try to wash or co-wash my hair once a week, but in winter time maybe 2-3 times a month with more co-washing than washing due to the extremely dry weather. I have grown to love CANTU’s products much more, so much that I invested in their line: Shampoo, Wash out Conditioner and even co-wash conditioner. Cantu products really make my hair soft and is my “go to “for any quick and simple twist out methods. I usually twist my hair every night using a well known method to many naturals. I spritz with distiller water (mixed with oils), add my Cantu for moisture, then seal with an oil/butter. This keeps the moist and not so dry during the winter months.

Like I said, it works for my hair type and me.

The Big Chop… Is it Really Worth it?

I know a lot of young ladies out there including myself who are considering going back natural and the thought of having to go through the long transitioning process sounds like you will have your work cut out for you so going for the all in option of the Big Chop may seem more desirable!

The big chop refers the act of cutting all of the relaxed hair off and leaving only the new growth. This strategy of going back natural is it worth it? … You decide, and for now I’ll just take you through the pros and Cons of the ‘Big Chop’.

Pros:

One Texture

When you cut off all of your relaxed hair, you immediately have only one texture to deal with. Women who are transitioning often have difficulty working with two different textures, so the big chop eliminates all of that. You have one texture to style.

Easy Care/Time Saver

Short cuts are very low maintenance and easy to care for, & your styling routine will be cut down to mere minutes. Apply the products of your choice and brush, comb or pick your hair. You may have to find new products for grooming, such as water-based gels and mousses. But shampooing and conditioning should also be quick and simple once you eliminate all of the combing and de-tangling.

No Weather Worries



When your hair is relaxed or pressed, how many times have you run for cover when it began to rain? (HATE IT) Did you have a collection of plastic rain caps, umbrellas and rain coats at the ready? (I DID) With the big chop water won't ruin your style. This can be extremely liberating. In addition to no longer worrying about the weather forecast for the day, you can feel free to swim anytime because your 'do won't suffer from getting wet.

Before you bask in all the advantages the Big Chop brings it is important to know that not everyone loves how their hair looks when it’s short. If you feel that your head is too large or not the perfect shape for such a short cut, my advice is to stay away from the big Chop. 

Cons:

Few Styling Options

With your hair cut short you don't have really a lot of styling options available to you. so is either you rock your mini afro or result to changing up your look with wigs from time to time.

Negative Attitude from others 

It's your hair, right? Unfortunately, as some women who have big chopped have discovered, it may be their hair, but everyone has an opinion about it. This could be your parents, significant others, siblings, even strangers on the street! Many women who cut their hair ultra short will face some negativity from someone in their lives. The trick to getting through it is to remain strong and confident in your decision. At the end of the day, it is your hair and no one else's.