EVERYDAY INSPIRATION SERIES

Black Beauty and Hair Magazine!

Sarah Fynn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good News!

If you followed me on my intern diaries ( to catch you, search intern diaries), you would know I have been working at Black Beauty and Hair Magazine for the last month! Our latest issue is now out and I was SO EXCITED to see my name in print (Am I famous now? Lol) and all the pages I worked on.

If you are in the UK, make sure you pick up a copy now! Enter the freebie giveaway for a chance to win some amazing products and hampers! Click here to enter your details for a chance!

But I’m not done, there is another surprise coming soon!

Have a great night

Love Sarah

Everyday inspiration series: Yaa.Lia

Hey wonderful people, welcome back to my blog! How’s everyone feeling back at school? I hope your new term/year has started great for you 🙂

So today I have something special for you guys! My everyday inspiration series is back! This time I speak to Liza aka Yaa.Lia, the style icon, on her natural hair journey

“.. I instantly fell in love again with natural hair….I loved the volume, the texture and the versatility of it so I figured that was the best time to go natural as it meant ‘wash and go” after swimming.” – Liza

Liza, better known as Yaa.Lia was born and raised in Ghana (#Ghanaian babes, #teamThurdayborns lol), has lived in Austria and currently living in the UK. When asked about natural hair in Ghana, she says it wasn’t a ‘big trend in Ghana’, she recollects…

Myself and my sister ….it wasn’t really known as natural hair…it was just hair…had to be kept short and neat for school so we often got regular haircuts. Natural hair was all over the place. It wasn’t a big trend…you either wore your hair in its natural state or had it relaxed.

It’s true, growing up in Ghana myself and looking back now, we all had natural hair! I remember I had to cut my relaxed hair because I was going to this new school and they required all the girls to have short hair (Talk about big chop lol)

Why did you transition to natural hair? Can you remember the date? (Do you still celebrate your nappiversary? Lol)

I just celebrated my 5th nappiversary on the 4th of august (Congrats girl!). I have always wanted natural hair and my hairdresser actually refused to cut my hair 8 years ago when I asked her to. I made the decision 3 years later as my hair was in really bad state from chorine damage and had to be cut off anyway. I then discovered the natural hair community on YouTube and instantly fell in love again with natural hair….I loved the volume, the texture and the versatility of it so I figured that was the best time to go natural as it meant ‘wash and go” after swimming.

In the 1st few months of transitioning, what aspects did you find the most difficult? How did you overcome that?

When I had relaxed hair with new growth: all I remember during that time was how I loved Bantu knots and rod sets…those were the main hairstyles I wore and some braids for a period of time

After My Big Chop: I did my homework prior to the big chop and knew exactly what to do with my “new” hair the moment the relaxed hair came off so I didn’t come across any difficulties, and the negative comments and reactions didn’t bother me one bit.. I knew what products to use and care for, what styles to wear and how to accessorise. Researching really helped me embrace my hair so the whole process was exciting to me. Now, it’s more of the long and frustrating detangling session I dread on wash days. oh how I miss my Teeny Weeny Afro days.

I know rite! From taking 30 mins to wash your TWA and all of a sudden wash day is like a cold winter’s day: unloved and not welcomed lool! *sigh*

Now let’s talk hair products because I am a self-diagnosed (well my bank account too agrees too) product junkie lol! I love listening to what other people use on their hair and adding it to my never ending list of things to try lool

Did you have to change your hair products and routines? If so, what became your favorite products? Can you give us a simplified version of your hair routine now?

I don’t have a routine now…just wash days and two strand twist after it’s washed –Yaa.Lia

Many people think they have to have a supernatural (lol) routine going and have to go through 1,00000 steps on wash day. Then you find you are super frustrated and tired. Natural hair care can be very simple and straight forward. Take it from Yaa.Lia, I mean look at her hair! Simple works too!!

Yaa.Lia – I went on a product rampage within the first year and had a regime I followed and spent tons on new products and oils. Oils are expensive (this is the truth! Lol).. I threw that all out of the window as you discover in time what products are necessity for your hair and what are just fads because everyone is hyping about them. I don’t do trial and error anymore. I only buy products I have use over and over. I don’t have a routine now…just wash days and two strand twist after it’s washed. My favourite products are Cantu Shea Butter Leave- In, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Coconut Oil and ORS Hair Mayo

(Is it bad I have tried all these products and currently own the Cantu, olive oil and coconut oil? But in actual facts, every natural has coconut oil and olive oil, it’s like two of the things you MUST have once you are natural lool)

What is your go to protective style?

Two strand twists…I’m not very good at braiding hair. I’ve only worn braids once in my whole natural hair journey life. One of the reasons I went natural was to stay away from synthetic or even real human hair for weaves…I just want to know my natural hair and just embrace it on its own.

Also I have scalp psoriasis (eczema) so can’t wear braids or weaves as my hair needs regular washing. Eczema can flare up and produce excess dead skin/flakes anytime so I always have to be ready to wash and care for my scalp, plus the less stress on my scalp the better for my eczema condition.

Check out her go- to style on her Youtube channel

If you had to recommend 5 products to newly naturals or transitioners what would they be?

Start with the basics- Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In, Coconut oil, Castor Oil, Shea Butter and a good deep conditioner.

What’s the best advice you got/came across as a natural and what’s the best advice you can give to others?

Do your research very well but don’t go overboard with too much information. Also, don’t compare your hair and its journey to others, don’t expect to have a thick full hair by a certain time just because someone else has, every ones hair is different and react to products and styles different which affects growth and the general health of your hair. Just embrace yours whatever the texture, whatever the length. I chose healthy hair over length any day.

Social media- Do you have a blog, Facebook page, Instagram, Business, and YouTube etc that you would like people to know? Please give details/links

I currently run a fashion/style blog – YaaLia’s FashionSense- www.yaalia.com

Instagram: @yaalia_blog / Twitter: @classyyaalia / YouTube: YaaLia / Facebook: YaaLias Fashion Sense

Anything else you would like to add? Your mantra? Hair type? Confess if you are a product junkie? Advice etc? The sky is your limit here ☺

Take care of your hair when it needs it otherwise, leave it be (might not be the case but you get the idea)

That’s all folks! Make sure you check Liza out on her social media tags! If you are in need for some serious style inspiration, you NEED to check her blog out! Thank you Liza for taking part in this series and sharing your story with me! I hope you guys have been inspired by her story and not to get up with your hair journey, whatever stage it may be!

Remember simplicity is key! And don’t go overboard with info this equals stress

Enjoy the rest of your day and I will be back soon with another post! Btw did you see my blog on natural hair myths? Read it here >> http://wp.me/p1uQOd-Ju

Until next time

Love

Sarah

Everyday Inspiration- Regal Fro

Hey guys! So I’m back with another post in my everyday inspiration series! This time, the beautiful Regal Fro joins the many women on here sharing her inspirational story and advice for natural hair. So sit back and relax and get to know Regal Fro!

“Regardless of how you choose to wear your hair, remember you are a naturally beautiful woman.”- Regal Fro

1. Tell me about yourself- where you were born, your name, age what do you do?

I am a 34 year old, mental health advocate/inspirational speaker from Mississippi.

2. Where there a lot women with natural hair from your hometown/ where you were born?

I no longer reside in my hometown. However, I see women who are wearing their hair in its natural state daily.

3. Ok, with this in mind, did you find it any easier or more difficult to transition to natural hair?

It was only difficult because I didn’t have anyone I knew personally to turn to for hairstyling tips. Once I realized that I could get styling tips from naturals on YouTube, things became easier.

4.Now the big one- why did you choose to transition? Can you remember the date? How long has it been?

I began my transition because my daughter wanted to know why her hair wasn’t “flat” like other girls. I transitioned for 16 months. I began in August 2011, and I cut off my relaxed ends on Dec. 31, 2012.

5. Did you feel that making that decision was hard for you especially when most of the women around you had silky straight hair?

I made the decision to return to natural hair because of my daughter. As a result, I really was not concerned about how other women around me wore their hair. In addition, I never felt criticism from those around me regarding my decision to return to natural hair. I had to remember that I was once one of those women who had “silky straight hair”.

6. Cool, now let’s talk hair products, hair routines- did you have to change any of your hair products?

Yes. My transitioning hair was totally different from both my relaxed and natural hair. When my hair was relaxed, I only used shampoo, conditioner, and oil once a week. During my transition, I keep the same shampoo and conditioner but had to switch oils. I also had to apply oil more frequently and use styling products. The products I used were: Garnier shampoo and conditioner, almond oil, and flax seed gel.

7. What products have helped you maintain your natural hair?

Currently, I use the following products on my hair:

-Clarifying: Apple Cider Vinegar

-Conditioning: Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Conditioner & 3-Minute Undo Dryness Reversal Treatment

Moisture: Cantu Natural Hair Coconut Curling Cream

Oil: Cococare Castor Oil

Stylers: Eco Styler Gel with Argon Oil, Homemade Flaxseed Gel, and Garnier Curl Calm Down

8.Has there been a change in your hair routines? Like the number of times you wash your hair a week, how you protect your hair when you sleep? Protective styling? ( weaves, braids, ponytails)

My routine is simple. I clarify and co-wash my hair once every 15 -17 days. I deep condition once monthly and moisturize daily. I protect my hair at night with a satin bonnet or scarf. I am not a big fan of protective styling because I enjoy wearing my hair out. However, during my transition, I wore mini twists for the last few months.

9. A lot of women I have spoken to say they want to go natural but find there are hardly any products for them. Can you recommend good hair products and if possible where to get them?

I rarely recommend products to people because I keep the products I use to a minimum. In addition, I do not switch products often. I would say that I companies have done an excellent job in developing products for natural hair. Product accessibility is probably better than it has ever been. If you are in an area that does not have retailers that carry natural hair products, then I recommend that you search the websites of large retailers such as Walmart, Target, and Walgreens. If you are unsure about what products to use, or would like to try various product, I would recommend a natural hair subscription box service such as Curlbox or Curl Collection. With your subscription you get products sent to you and you are able to test out the products. This can be helpful in saving time and money.

10. Would you advice any women to go natural? And why?

I believe that deciding to return your hair to its natural state is a personal decision that a woman should be allowed to make without pressure. In my opinion, it is a matter of respect. I wanted people to respect the fact that I wanted to transition back to natural. Therefore, I want to respect the decision of any woman who decides that having natural hair is not for her.

11. And finally what the best piece of advice you would give to a woman who has just decided to go natural?

Connect with other naturals as soon as you can and utilize social media outlets. Never be afraid to ask a natural via social media about products, styling tips, or just to vent. Normally, you will find someone who has tried the products, will tag you in a style photo, or experienced something similar. In other words, CONNECT, CONNECT, CONNECT!!!! You do not have to go on this journey alone.

12. If you want to add anything else please feel free to do so.

Regardless of how you choose to wear your hair, remember you are a naturally beautiful woman.

If you want to connect with me, you can check out my YouTube channel Regal Fro or follow me on Instagram @ regal_fro

That’s all folks! Make sure you check out her YouTube and Instagram profiles! You can also find her on Facebook. Take her advice and CONNECT, CONNECT CONNECT! Trust me it makes such a big difference and helps! A LOT! She has some beautiful hair and rocking it to its full potential!

P.S- CurlBox and Curl collection are only available in the US to my knowledge. And I am waiting that the Good Lord will touch the owners’ hearts so they can start shipping across the pond to the UK too. (LOL). But if you’re in the UK and want to check out any new products or try any Regal mentioned, PaksComestics is your best chance or online at britishcurlies.com. Of course there is always Amazon/EBay and the others

I’m out of here as I have to go to uni now for my final business presentation( wish me luck!) but I will catch you guys soon! So wherever you are Good morning, good afternoon or evening!

Everyday Inspiration: ESTHER

Hey guys it’s been such a LONG time I updated my everyday inspiration series. (Forgive me, this thing called life huh? lol)Anyway its back and I have a new fabulous story to share with you. You find more about this series by checking out these links. http://wp.me/p1uQOd-4j http://wp.me/p1uQOd-9c http://wp.me/p1uQOd-4F

This time we meet Esther, a 35 year old single mother of 3 ( God bless her!) living and working in Chicago. She shares her hair journey and her love to colour her hair ( and that one time she rocked yellow, orange hair! Fierceeeeee!!)

“I feel it’s a personal journey that people should take when they are ready for their own reasons.” – Esther

1.Tell me about yourself- where you were born, your name, age what do you do?

Hi I’m Esther . I’m 35 single mother of three. I work for the Good Ole USPS only job I’ve ever had. Lol. I’m born and raised in Chicago, IL. With any lucky this will be my last year living here.

2.Where there a lot women with natural hair from your hometown/ where you were born?

Growing up I only remember my grandmother with a Beautiful Afro, which she permed later on and lost most of her hair. My mom and aunts stayed permed up and rocking the latest styles.

3.Ok, with this in mind, did you find it any easier or more difficult to transition to natural hair?

Transitioning to natural at first was easy. I’ve never been into following fashion. I’m not big on hair Maintenance and I hated all the wasted hrs. at the hair salon. So the decision itself was very very easy.

4.Now the big one- why did you choose to transition? Can you remember the date? How long has it been?

I didn’t transition. I just went and got a bald fade. It’ll be 6yrs that I’ve been natural in October. Like a lot of women me cutting my hair was a drastic move. I had lost my husband, had to learn how to parent alone and I needed something different. Easy

5.Did you feel that making that decision was hard for you especially when most of the women around you had silky straight hair?

No. I’m a loner so what others people did never factored into my personal choices. Besides I’ve rocked yellow, orange hair.

6.Cool, now let’s talk hair products, hair routines- did you have to change any of your hair products?

I stopped washing and stick to co-washing. Yes I changed my products. I’m a big fan of Tresseme products and my hair likes creams better than anything else. So I had to find the ones that worked for me.

7.What products have helped you maintain your natural hair

Tresseme conditioner, Shea moisture creams. Water.

8.Has there been a change in your hair routines? Like the number of times you wash your hair a week, how you protect your hair when you sleep? Protective styling? ( Weaves, braids, ponytails)

I wear a lot of wash and go’s when it’s short. When it’s longer I stick to ponytails and twist. I will get braids or professional twist when I get tired of managing it on my own. In summer I condition every couple of days because of the sun and I like to colour my hair. In the winter I keep it covered due to the cold and wind and usually keep it braided up.

9.A lot of women I have spoken to say they want to go natural but find there are hardly any products for them. Can you recommend good hair products and if possible where to get them?

All the products I listed above work. I grab them at Walmart, Target, Walgreens or any beauty supply. Like they says KISS( Keep It Simple Silly)

10.Would you advice any women to go natural? And why?

Would I No. I feel it’s a personal journey that people should take when they are ready for their own reasons. I will give tons of advice when asked.

11.And finally what the best piece of advice you would give to a woman who has just decided to go natural?

Best advice. The best products cost $6 or less. There is no such thing as Heat Training!

12.If you want to add anything else please feel free to do so.

Thanks for the questions!!

So there you have it guys, Esther’s story and I am so glad she agreed to share it with everyone. Ladies (and ermm gentlemen) in the UK and beyond, where there might not be a Target or Walgreens, you can try eBay/Amazon for international brands and in the UK maybe Paks or any beauty supply store. Her motto of KISS is really useful for me (and maybe a few others) because I know I try to over complicate things! And I am going to challenge myself of just buying products under the 6 pounds/euro mark. (Should be fun! Challenge accepted!)

Quick update- 7 months in SPAIN. It’s going amazingly good inspite of some very difficult times.

Until next time which may be very soon, have a good evening. Or afternoon. Or morning. Wherever you are!

Everyday Inspiration; Fola

“Transitioning for me was very easy, my family were all very laid back about it, almost indifferent. My dad was very happy because he didn’t want me to relax my hair in the first place!”- Fola

Ok folks, Everyday inspiration is back! Meet Fola, 25 years old from Freetown, Sierra Leone. Sit back and enjoy her story as she shares it with me. 🙂

She currently works for the not-for-profit sector and loves blogging. I actually started talking to her because a friend of mine referred me to her for a blog feature! ( about hair obviously lool) Here’s a link to her blog and my feature on it http://www.blackgirlflow.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/hairstory-sarah-returns-to-her-roots.html . After that, I decided to feature her on my blog too and here’s how it went.

Actually we have been talking( emailing lol) since February about this feature! but due to hectic lifestyles I can only bring it to you now in April (lol) better late than never i guess… Well lets get started!

Born in Freetown and left when she was 5, Fola can remember from pictures that the women around hair had natural hair. (Grandma and her sisters) Her aunties she recalls had a variety of styles ( very expectable lol)

Ok, with this in mind, did you find it any easier or more difficult to transition to natural hair?

Transitioning for me was very easy, my family were all very laid back about it, almost indifferent. My dad was very happy because he didn’t want me to relax my hair in the first place! ( I think this is great because I havenot heard of men usually been ‘motivators’ (lol) of natural hair, most of them usually dont bother or dont even notice but its great here to see dad do this….

Ooooh that’s a tough one. I’ve actually transitioned twice in my life. The first time I was 16 and just bored of relaxing. My hair never came out as thick or as long as I wanted it and it was always breaking. So I stopped relaxing it. I transitioned again when I was 20 for pretty much the same reason. It was never a conscious decision that ‘I’m going natural’ I just decided not to relax my hair anymore. So I have been natural for 5 years now. – On why she transitioned! And a lot of people ( including myself) have transitioned because of that reason reason : THICKNESS….

look at that!

“Having straight hair was never an issue for me!” Fola on if transitioning was difficult because of having curly hair instead of straight ( and I mean look a ther hair! am sooo jealous!)

HAIR PRODUCTS

What she had to say

“Over the years I have changed the way I look after my hair tremendously! I’m more aware of the chemicals in products and not just the smell. The more I’ve learnt about afro-textured hair the more I’ve leaned towards using gentler more moisturizing products to help maintain the health of my hair.”

TOP 3 PRODUCTS she uses? And tries to have all the time?

as recommended most most naturals

images (2) — water, not that you needed a picture but you get the point lol

and any moisturizing conditioner

Has there been a change in your hair routines? Like the number of times you wash your hair a week, how you protect your hair when you sleep? Protective styling? ( weaves, braids, ponytails)

The biggest change has been with washing my hair. Before I was natural I washed my hair every 6 weeks probably, but now, if my hair is not in braids I wash it at least once a week. If it’s in braids then I’ll wash it once a fortnight.

Fola on product recommendation– A few of my faves apart from the ones I already mentioned are Tresemme Naturals conditioners, they always leave my hair feeling amazing! Another one of my all time favourites is Rhassoul Clay which I buy online from Shea Butter Cottage, it’s a great cleanser and deep conditioner. I also really like the Rhassoul and Honey deep conditioner from Mahogany Naturals UK. I would say that finding products that works for your hair is a process of trial and error in my opinion. What works for me might not work for you!

I must say, i never heard of this but after some intensive research ( basically googling LOL) its pretty popular and useful. hmmm added to my never ending list of products to try… after further more intensive research ( youtubing LOOL)

Her Advice – Since going natural I have gained such confidence in myself and my self-esteem has had a bit of a boost! So, of course I would encourage anyone who told me they wanted to stop relaxing their hair.

AND

Learn to love your hair in all it’s different forms. Many women go natural and get frustrated because what they really wanted was the thick long natural hair, but it takes time to get there, so whilst you’re waiting, love your hair for what it is!

november 2011 018 — miss F to the O to the L to the A…

ok folks, that it from MISS FOLA…. check out her facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blackgirlflow/171221429617569 for more info on her and her hair! also her blog for more info about natural hair…

its now 4.57am and have a good morning from Sarah xxxxx

THE END?!

its the 24th of Decemeber so i should start with this

MERRY CHRISTMAS

lol.. ok so that’s out of the way and the real reason for this post, well 3 main reasons

firstly, its the end of semster 1 for me and i must say it was challenging! it was great fun to see me placed in a whole new environment, away from my comfort zone and watch how i would cope. i barely made it here however i still made it, whether crawling or standing. this semster for me has been tough- spiritually, emotionally and academically. been challenged in every area everywhere i go. ad i meanthat literally! i have met some amazing people, who have impacted in my life in such a short while. i have also had to say goodbye to some people who still impacted my life but for the greater good some connections had to be cut. i hope the new people are ones to stay for longer especially some friends who has helped me in diverse ways. already. PHEW!

secondly, its almost the end of the year 2011 and i must say GLORY TO BE THE LAMB. WHAT!!! there is a saying that goes ‘ if you have seen anything you cant say anything@ ( or something of the sort LOOOL) but this year? nah i think i will leave it till the manifestations of seeds take place. but all i can say is WOW.

thirdly and quite importantly my hair journey. i started the transition from relaxed hair to natural and in April and i really didnt think i would take it seriously then. i thought it was just phrase i was going to go through but eight months now the line and am still transitioning. NO WAIT. I BCed!!!! ( big chop for y’all who dont understand. bascially i cut my hair LOOL) oh gosh…. i have so much growth underneath them relaxed hair that when i cut it, i was surprise at it…

hair journery

and 8 months? BC!!! the end of my transitioning journey!!!! pictures

IMG00289-20111223-2223 — what am working with

IMG00295-20111223-2259 — THE FINAL LOOK AND HAIR NOW

OK SO THAT ME WITH MY HAIR NOW AND ACCORDING TO A FRIEND I LOOK LIKE A TWO YEAR OLD! LOOOL. my journey has been amazing… i learnt a lot of new things and not to mention the amazing people i interviewed for my everyday inspiration series! the new products i have tried and some am still waiting to try. the people that tried to get me to keep relaxing my hair, the people that dared me to and the people that encouraged me, to y’all thank u!!!!!

so 8 months and am done with transitioning now its time to focus on growing my natural hair to my desired lenght which is breast lenght (lool) . and i guess i have to feature myself on my series now? hm! but thts another day… anyways from me to you

GOOD NIGHT AND HAVE YOURSELF A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS……..

XXXX

Everyday inspiration: Rachael Twumasi

“Hmm. That’s a tricky one. When I began to transition I was at university so I’m not sure how much my home town perceptions affected me. It was really out of necessity – a receding hairline and frequent scalp scabs at the age of 19 is not okay!” – Rachael

A truly inspirational woman in all aspects, Rachael Twumasi, Co-founder of the product line, Afrocenchix shares her transitioning story with me. Afrocenchix is an amazing line for transitioners and naturals featuring all natural products at an amazing affordable price! (links at the end and yh you guessed it! i would be purchasing some very soon)! lool

Rachael Twumasi ( am guessing ghanaian if so eti sen? lool), co- founder of Afrocenchix, was born and raised in North London. She has recently graduated from the university of Birmingham and currently holds a Law degree!

Being the only black girl in her primary school, she often encountered questions like ‘ why does you hair move with the wind’ ( pls read that in a whiny voice for max impact) which eventually lead her to be uncomfortable with hair. Then there were the few mixed race girls around and that led to hair envy ( i can imagine!)

As I grew up, moved round and began to encounter more black people, I began to believe that relaxers and weaves were the norm.

Ok, with this in mind, did you find it any easier or more difficult to transition to natural hair?

Hmm. That’s a tricky one. When I began to transition I was at university so I’m not sure how much my home town perceptions affected me. It was really out of necessity – a receding hairline and frequent scalp scabs at the age of 19 is not okay! As my hair was pretty much always relaxed from the age of four, I found (and still find) afro hair fascinating – this made it easy to avoid the temptation to get back on the creamy crack (and oh was I tempted.)

from the age of four till university!! wow… girl i can imagine your the temptation. This goes to confirm something i have been thinking about over the past couple of days, many people think transitioning is a physical process that takes place, you know, its just your hair, you’re just transitioning to a different texture thats all! but please dont make light the situation. i have found and i think most ladies would agree with me that, a woman’s hair is her glory ( Maya Angelou ) ( had to put tht in here lool), a woman’s hair is so personal ( hence the reason why you cant touch most black girls hair lool) and to have it straight for so long then change it to a completely different texture is something that requires commitment, dedication some form of will power and the Holy Spirit! ( yes!). it is a journey of self discovery because within that one or two maybe three years a woman would transition, she would have encountered several temptations, discouragement, the feeling of ‘ugly’ lets not forget the looks and the disapproval of many including some family members. Transitioning is more than just a hair journey, its also a self discovery journey ( but ok lets get back to Rachael and her wonder-full hair)

Now the big one- why did you choose to transition? Can you remember the date? How long has it been?

Okay, so when Joycelyn (now my business partner) refused to relax my hair one day and we had a discussion about natural hair, I thought I’d try it out. This was around May 2009. I transitioned for around 6 months till around November 2009 when I chopped off all but around 2 inches of hair. So I’d say I’ve been natural for about two years now however I only began to take care of my hair properly in July 2010 – so the last year has been the most successful part of my natural hair journey.

30JUNE2010FAILEDTwistOut — so i get the picture and its called failed twist out so i had to put it in here!lol

Did you feel that making that decision was hard for you especially when most of the women around you had silky straight hair?

Yes! I had many days/weeks of feeling just plain ugly and it has taken a while to accept my natural texture. It’s been worth it – being comfortable with yourself in your raw and natural form is a beautiful feeling! Everyone should get to experience it. I have to agree with you there sista!

hair products!!!

Yep, I was a case book product junkie. Every miracle cream, hyped product and famous brand was on my dresser table. When I began to care for my hair in 2010, I decided to only use my own natural products and, hair wise, it’s the best decision I’ve ever made. ( i find i got the same symptoms too!!! hands up, i confess, am a product junkie tooo….. )

She says the Afrocenchix essentials range and Dr. Organics pomegranate shampoo and conditioner( never heard of that but will be researching it soon, found at holland and barret) have helped her maintain her natural tresses. Whilst transitioning she had her hair in kinky twists to get used to the afro texture ( thts actually a good idea) and went through a serial weave wearer phrase ( now if you dont know what that means, you can ask her lool, i dont know but am pretty sure it is what i think it is and no am not going to tell you )

the products she recommends and uses

ok i find that the kinky curly product line is used a lot, recommended and used by many.. hmmmm

also her own range of product she makes and uses! introducing, to the slimtingz blog, Afrocenchix( you are advised to read that in a loud voice)

Would you advice any women to go natural? And why?

Yes! For the health and self image benefits I think natural hair is for EVERYONE.

36SEP2010TenMonthspostBC (1) — 10 months post BC… still hot and rocking!

And finally what the best piece of advice you would give to a woman who has just decided to go natural?

Do your research. Read up about products, regimes, styles and hairdressers and take advantage of the wealthy of blogs, youtube channels and facebook pages dedicated to natural hair and you will soon love your hair as you find it easier and easier to tame.

ok folks you heard it here first! Rachael Twumasi is the latest fab woman to be added to our everyday inspiration series. From her journey she was able to bring out a new hair care line, which goes to show transitioning is not just a hair jounery! Smart, beautiful ( ghanaian) lool and natural haired ( of course) she provides inspiration for us all. So whether you are transitioning or thinking about that, take her advice ‘ natural hair is for everyone!

her afrocenchix products can be bought at http://www.afrocenchix.com/

have a fab day guys and oh just to let you know its been 4 months for me! yayyyy….

Everyday inspiration: Naptural 85

Experienced transitioners e.g myelf or anyone pass the 6 weeks stage ( lool) or naturalistas everywhere would have certainly heard of Naptural 85. the youtube natural hair vlogger sensation! Her videos are amazing inspirational and dead easy to follow and guess what? She gives me the low down about her transitioning phase ( yes she did transition! her fab curls didnt grow over night and yes i know she makes it look as if she was born with it lool well she was loool)

“I transitioned because I hated perming my hair. I never enjoyed going to the salon to get my hair permed. The process, the smell, the time it took, how flat my hair was, the sporadic burns on my scalp… all of that annoyed me, so I decided to go natural! ” – Nap 85

Whitney White or Naptural 85 or Nap 85 as she’s better known was born in Rhode Island ( for those people who dont know where tht is, no its not here in the UK its in the US lool) and moved to Massachusetts when she was about 7 years old. She’s a freelance graphic designer( so holla at her if you want your graphics designed!), a Utilities Consultant ( holla if you want your utilities consulted loool) , and of course a Natural Hair Vlogger!

She says there werent a lot of women with natural hair in Massachusetts however this did not make her transitioning any harder! infact she describes it as a ‘breeze’ ( yes theres hope for us!!!). So how did she transition? in her own words she says;

“Oh, transitioning was a breeze! Lol, I didn’t do anything but put my hair in braids and go about my business! I transitioned with long extension braids that my mother re-braided every month. It was a lot of fun for me and really easy to take care of. I didn’t receive many stares because it’s common to see an African-American woman with braids, but when I took them out, yes, I noticed many eyeballs turning my way! Lol, again, where I’m from you don’t see too many natural African-American women with their hair out, nonetheless with a short “BC” cut. Either it’s relaxed or braided; if you are natural in my area however, it is common to see it “loc”ked up.”

Now the big one- why did you choose to transition? Can you remember the date? How long has it
been?

‘I transitioned because I hated perming my hair. I never enjoyed going to the salon to get my hair permed. The process, the smell, the time it took, how flat my hair was, the sporadic burns on my scalp… all of that annoyed me, so I decided to go natural! Even in college when I was relaxed, I would wear it in it’s wild, curly state; I like big hair! I transitioned around August 2008, right after my senior year of college; it’s been 3 years!’

Did you feel that making that decision was hard for you especially when most of the women around
you had silky straight hair?

‘Oh no, it was definitely an easy decision for me! I was always trying new things with my hair, cutting it, wearing it curly, etc… and I was an art student, so I was used to expressing myself freely without a care. My husband was actually the one to first point out my natural hair “curls” and how much he liked them! When it was time to get a relaxer, he’d say “..why don’t you just let it grow out…?” Soon enough, I was like, “Yeah! Why DON’T I just let it grow out!?” lol, and that was it!’

HAIR PRODUCTS……

Currently, I only use shea butter, flax seeds, water, aloe vera juice, organic hair wash, and natural oils to care for my hair. With these 6 items (ingredients) I can solve ALL of my hair care needs… naturally.

shea butter

flaxseed oil

so i google image search organic hair wash and this is what came up…..

organic hair wash lool

yh literally!!!!! you can try it…

Anyways she finds that people over-complicate things with one product for one problem ( which i find is true because whne i first started i thought i had to get so many different products for different things. but thats not the case. althought i have increased my product range because quite frankly i didnt give a toss abot my relaxed hair lool, i find tht many products are multi purpose) anyways she says you can one product for multiple things and guess what it saves money too! lool she said she did cut product consumption.

Has there been a change in your hair routines? Like the number of times you wash your hair a week,
how you protect your hair when you sleep? Protective styling? ( weaves, braids, ponytails)

There really hasn’t been a big change here! I wash my hair with a product about once every 5 weeks, and I still protect my hair with a satin bonnet at night. I don’t do much protective styling, never have and probably never will. I enjoy my hair, and I want to wear it out, lol, that’s why I grew it! The only “protective styling” I do is mini twists. I don’t do them for protection though, I do them when I either want a break from styling my hair, or if I want the feeling, or illusion, of having my hair straighter (I don’t like to straighten with heat because I don’t want to damage it).

A lot of women I have spoken to say they want to go natural but find there are hardly any products for
them. Can you recommend good hair products and if possible where to get them?

Sure! I love Terressentials Organic Hair Wash in Lavender to cleanse. You can buy it online or in one of their stores (you can check online for the listing of stores). That’s really the only product I use, the rest are ingredients you can buy from you local grocery store and online.

so i google searched terressential organic hair wash and her picture came up again!! but this time i got a proper picture of the product lool

Would you advise any women to go natural? And why?

If they wanted to go natural, of course! I don’t push my ideals on anyone, so if they like their hair relaxed, “to each their own.” I do think it’s a healthier option, of course, but it’s a personal choice for each woman.

And finally what the best piece of advice you would give to a woman who has just decided to go natural?

Do lots of research! There is so much FREE information online, so take it all in before you get started! Knowledge is power, so knowing what to do and NOT to do before getting started may save you A LOT of heartache along the way!

ok folks… Nap 85 youtube natural hair video sensation has shared her transitioning jounery with me. The whole point of this series is to show that you dont need to have a celeb stylist or a vast amount of products to transition but everyday people like nap 85, you and i can transition easily to enjoy fab curls. You heard it here first and hope you enjoy your transitioning journery!! check out my girl’s youtube channel for everything!! literally for hair products, styles and simple hair care decisions…

You can check out her hair vlogs and tutorials online at http://youtube.com/naptural85 and other random acts of naptural-ness at http://youtube.com/dearnaptural85.

have a great day guys xxx

everday inspiration- Myriam Osei

“Well I think first of all, people have the wrong misconceptions of what natural hair is….” – Myriam

I met this young beautiful lady last month at my mummy’s birthday party now as ladies we naturally started talking but it wasn’t till a couple of weeks after I found out she is a fab naturalle!! Yes! So knowing this I decided to interview for my blog and this is what she had to say….

Her name is Myriam Osei, a French born Ghanaian ( yaay just coz I am as well lol) who lives in the UK ( but sometimes runs off to France lool) and is a student. Her decision to go natural came after watching Chris Rock’s Good Hair film( and I must say I recently watched this and boy does it give you a lot of information! Oh and we both watched this film out of curiosity too lool). Now this girl is brave. She Bced!! For all of you who don’t know BC( big Chop is when you cut off all your relaxed ends to leave your natural hair underneath. She describes her transitioning journey as ‘not intention’ as she describes in her own words….

“I did not transition, well actually I did technically but not intentionally (laughs), okay, okay I will explain. So basically what happened is, one day I was watching “Good hair “featuring Chris Rock out of curiosity really, it was around midnight, something, it was late.( I had braids in actually).So as I was watching that, I got more and more interested, we got to see where certain weaves comes from, we also got to see interviews from celebs who wore weaves and were pretty confident admitting it, which made me think if they’re that confident, why are they not bold enough to show and wear their natural hair, it looked as if what black people imagined as natural hair was nappy, incredibly thick, ugly hair. But I personally did not think that. So, after watching that, I made my decision to go natural. When I took off my braids, a month after, I was still firm on being natural, but my hair it did not look natural yet, it was still a little bit relaxed. Then, I did not know what transition, big chop whatever meant, I had just made my decision of being natural and that was it, so I did not relaxed my hair, just shampooed it, and braided my hair again, 2 months after I took the braids off ,shampooed it and did another hairstyle, this one was with pick n’ drops and weave in the middle, so while I had this hairstyle I went in YouTube watching videos of people who are natural or just started being natural Etc. And that’s when I got to learn about transitioning, BC (big chop) and all these wonderful words, so a month after I took my weave/pick n’drops style out and actually realized that my hair was getting thicker, more natural now while I was touching it, which I found nice and weird at the same time, it’s as if I’ve forgotten that I hadn’t had a relaxer for five months, which made me realized that I actually transitioned technically for five months without knowing it. Basically, when I was touching the inside of my hair it was thick, felt heavy and then when I was touching the ends or seeing the ends of my hair in the mirror, it looked straight, like my hair had actually 2 different textures.

So all night I was thinking “should I cut off the relaxed perms of my hair or not??” Then I came to the conclusion, that I actually should because otherwise this thought “what could’ve been if I had actually big chopped my hair” would keep coming and plus it wasn’t as if I will get bold, because I had transitioned for five months without knowing, I thought my hair wouldn’t be very short anyway, so the next morning, I got up more exciting than ever, took the scissors and cut,cut,cut!! until I had a TWA(another word I learnt from YouTube which means tweeny weeny afro) it took me about 2 hours to cut, because when you do the Big chop by yourself, you never know if you’ve done it alright, or if the shape look even, so it’s a bit nerve-racking. But it’s worth it. I got my last relaxer in November 2010 and did the Big Chop the 10th April 2011, and how long it’s been? You lot can do the calculation yourselves hah”. ( yh so do the math for yourselves. ok incase you cant do it its been 5 months)

Hair products

Not having to relax her hair anymore meant she had to change her hair routines and hair products. The number one place she went for research on hair products? Youtube( I must admit me too!!!!) but she found Pure African Shea butter to do the trick1( I must say I have heard good reviews about this and it seems to me that in the natural world shea butter is really good! Ok. Noted). She mixes this with her usual moisturizer cream which is hazel oil and nut oil( never heard of these but noted!) her shampoo? Olive oil shampoo and leave in conditioner

Has there been a change in your hair routines? Like the number of times you wash your hair a week, how you protect your hair when you sleep? Protective styling? ( weaves, braids, ponytails)

Well, yes there are ,for example now, I braid (not tight braids) or twist my hair much more than before, before it was more weave than anything else, but now I rather like doing natural hairstyles than having weaves and things like that. I also condition, moisturize my hair more and I use a net for my hair at night..

A lot of women I have spoken to say they want to go natural but find there are hardly any products for them. Can you recommend good hair products and if possible where to get them?

I think it also depends on the texture of the hair, some products are easier to find than others depending on how the texture of the hair is in its natural state ,for me, I have an afro-like texture, so there were no point in going to the curly hair session in the shop, cos this is not how the texture of my hair is, so I think first of all that you have to really know what texture your hair is and be realistic in finding products that are good for your hair texture, there is also a lot of help you can find via the internet, YouTube videos etc.

Good hair products? I would recommend, for people who have an afro like texture, like for e.g. Lauryn Hill or Solange Knowles would be 100%Shea Butter, I mean this cream is good, and it is non-greasy, I think as a cream it works best for afro-textured hair, and it is best to mix it with a moisturizer to make it a bit smoother. You can also buy Shea butter as a shampoo, or mix it with other products, this one works for all types of natural hair texture .You can find them in your local hair shop, I’m sure, you can also buy olive oil shampoo and live-in conditioner, this is what I use and it works very well for the texture of my hair.

Would you advice any women to go natural? And why?

What I think first of all is, people have the wrong misconceptions of what natural hair is, some think that natural hair doesn’t grow, is hard to manage, nappy ,ugly all the negative. But there is not a lot of people talking about the benefits of wearing your hair natural for example, the Versatility ,when you wear your hair natural there is loads of different styles you can do like,-two-strand twists-bantu knots- -flat twist,-affro puffs Etc.

Going natural can also make your hair much healthier, whether you want it or not chemicals used after a while in your hair can damage your hair and scalp, therefore one can get a lot of breakage. And I got to say since I’ve been natural I havent had a lot of breakage at all, the amount of breakage I got in 3 months is the amount of breakage Id get in 10 days altogether with relaxed hair, no jokes. Having natural hair makes you unique and you get to be yourself, you dont have to be afraid having to pass through the rain and it also save up money hah.there is a lot of benefits being natural. But I also got to say though, that I think it is a personal choice and I also believe that as long as you DONT get a relaxer to hide your real hair texture or is ashamed of your hair texture but rather get relaxer simply cos u like how your hair looks relaxed and so on, then its okay ,but I firmly believe that everyone though, should try to at least once, not getting a relaxer for at least 3 months because this is how you would know that you are not ashamed of your real hair texture, and you would maybe get to like it- or not.

I tell you something there is a lot of people who dont know how their hair texture is until they went natural, there is a lot of girls who dont know what to expect when they go natural, I mean how their hair texture would be like and they get surprised when some see curls coming out theyre like “Oh my gosh, I never thought my natural hair would have curls in it” People shouldnt expect the worst to happen. So in overall, yeah I would advise women to go natural, I mean its wonderful, and also when you go natural, you get to notice women who are natural more in the street you are like “oh shes natural too” its as if you just want to make conversation with them, its a good feeling, it puts a smile in your face. So to sum up, yes I would advise any women to go natural but as I said it is only a personal choice.

And finally what the best piece of advice you would give to a woman who has just decided to go natural?

I’ve got 3-The three best advices I can give are :

1-Be sure that it is what you want to do and that there is no going back, and also you should not expect everybody to like it, I mean do not get into this expecting everybody to like it, because obviously they are some who are going to like and also some who would not, so you have to be sure it is what you want to do, what you like.

2-Secondly, I would also advise one who want to go natural to be confident in themselves first and not go natural to gain confidence or try to be unique,cos you are already unique in who you are, and the natural hair should just add to the uniqueness you already have.

3-.And, thirdly, embrace each part of your journey I mean enjoy every moment and do not get so caught up in wanted to see growth or get to your target length that you don’t enjoy the present of being natural, embrace each moment.

And Also, watch videos that keep inspire you you’re not alone there is a lot of women going natural too, or if you ve got friends, family that are going natural with you too, stay together and keep motivating, encouraging and enjoying this journey together, it helps.

Enjoy your Naptural Journey!

Ok folks, a young girl, blessed and ahead of her time she paves the way for other young girls( or even older like me) to take into consideration the decision to transition. She is a true inspiration to us all including the writer( me lool) and has showed me that your transitioning journey does not have to the the hard way as in sit down think about it do some serious soul searching( lool) but can come out of curiosity, be unintentional but totally love the results!!

She is fab and we are in total support of her!! #teamNatural!! Invading the UK…

For more information contact her on twitter- @AngelPeaceJoy

Thank you and Good night…xxx

everyday inspiration series- Crystal Ford ( Rochelle)

‘What does the black spectator identify with when his/her mirror image is structurally absent or present only as Other’ – Mercer, K .1996

Recommended by her cousin, Marion, to me for this series, I catch up with Rochelle aka Crystal Afro about her, her hair( of course) and stuffs.

I actually thought her name was Crystal ford lool. But clearly not. Her name is Rochelle aka Crystal Afro( and you can see why lool) and she’s 26 and a Jamaican ’with a dash of Cuban on one side (yhh blug wagan? Obviously am trying put on my Jamaican accent but I have failed so I will stick to what I know! Lool). Recently graduated community Arts Practitioner and is looking to create all sorts of arty stuffs( oooh interesting, her contact details at the end of the article).

Growing up in Balham and Wandsworth( big up she says lool) she didn’t really see a lot of women with natural hair or they may have been a few but she probably didn’t notice( lol) but looking back she can remember her Nan and aunty rocking their natural hair( good good lol). But in her primary school there was another black girl with type 3ish hair who had manageable hair( Ohhhh am sensing some envy? Back then nah I lied lool no but seriously maybe a little? Loool). Anyways in secondary school, that changed and almost everyone had relaxed hair or the next thing- weaves or braids- including her.

seeing girl wearing really bait weaves also helped me. Like when your looking at a girl on the bus and you feel bad for
them because you can see their tracks- not cool! ( why she transitioned lool)

To her, seeing other black women with natural hair encouraged her to stay natural. And the fact that she didn’t want to ‘ take the risk of any fake-ness being exposed’ ( lool I feel you on that one!!!!) her decision to transition was influenced by money( well, no comment lool), breakage, as a matter of fact it would be better to write her own words lol:

quote was by Kobena Mercer, who raised the question: What does the black spectator identify with when his/ her mirror image is structurally absent or present only as Other?”(Mercer, K. 1996)

“This question is still so important to me even now. As I did my research trying to find BlackBritish female celebrities from past decades I realized just how dangerously absent we are from the history books, and the majority of those that can be
seen are playing it straight. It was all this that made me think, “when future generation of black girls compare themselves to the black girls of our generation I want them to see how naturally beautiful their ancestors are/were. Idont want them to think they need to have straight or fake hair to be beautiful.”

Did you feel that making that decision was hard for you especially when most of the women around you had silky straight hair?

There were definitely difficult times in the early days. It’s easy to be confident about about natural hair when your in the comfort of your own home but when you’re confronted with the real world and the various social pressures it can be a lot more challenging to stay strong. Sometimes you feel like you stand out for all the wrong reasons. But I guess its important to remember that just because you’re pursuing not the same type of beauty that’s being dictated to us, it doesn’t mean that you’re not equally as beautiful.Although the first couple of weeks were difficult, if I hadn’t gone through that difficult stage I wouldn’t have learn the things I needed to know to be happy with my hair as I am now.

Hair products? Yep, yea, yes! Most definitely! Lol. A very excited Crystal I mean Rochelle.

She had to get rid of most of her hair products( like that is a problem when you’re shopping for new ones lool) as she found out they leave too much residue. But the products she has come to love? Kinky Curly knot today( I actually love the name of this, did u get the pun, knot today? No? well lets just carry on) she cant tell me how much she loves this product! Lol. But unfortunately its only sold online( links to the website at the end). She’s also loving oils- coconut oil( again), almond oil( new to me) and castor oil.. Also loving vegetable glycerine too.

Has there been a change in your hair routines? Like the number of times you wash your hair a week, how you protect your hair when you sleep? Protective styling?( weaves, braids, ponytails)

It’s all about trial and error, and when I looked back at my blog posts I realized that you’ll usually see a few tweeks in my routine as I try to find what my hair likes. Im experimenting with various deep conditioners like Keracare and Aubery Organics. My protective styles change every few weeks or so, as I learn more convenient and quick ways to style my hair. Iv changed how often I wash my hair from practically never (when I wore weaves) to 3 times a week when I first went natural to once a week and at the moment usually twice a week. I also change the times I spritz my hair. Im trying to figure out if it prefers a spritz in
the morning or the evening, but I’ve learned twice a day can be a bit much for my hair depending on what I’ve got in my spritz. Oh yea and now I try to do a co-wash once a week.