your photos, your thoughts: on supplements...

occasionally, you guys email me photos and updates on how your hair is coming along. i definitely welcome it! here's an update i received a few weeks back...

"Hi,
This is me all natural after taking out my weave after cutting off all my relaxed ends. My hair strands are thin but I have A LOT of hair...
In the first pic my hair is flat ironed with no products at all... nice and full.

pic #1


I got tired of my hair so I decided to get a texturizer, (can't remember the exact date) at a hair salon the first time, and after that I did my own touch ups. I was quite happy with the results at first, but now I'm back transitioning back to natural FOR GOOD. The pic with the ponytail is before I went to the hair dresser to get my very first texturizer.

pic #2


As of now I'm transitioning without having to resort to the "big chop"...its not even going down like that... ;)
I haven't texturized my hair since nov 2nd 08.
I'm currently taking : 10.000mg Biotin and and I just incorparated MSM supplements after doing extensive research....and....taaa daaa!.....Ripley's Believe It Or Not....it works....

I will create my own blog so that you can view my current state. My name's gonna be buttabeen....please check me out as I will continue to follow your blogg.

It's the shiiittt!!"

lol, thanks for the enthusiasm girl :) this is what i found about biotin and MSM supplements via wikipedia

"Biotin, also known as vitamin H or B7, has the chemical formula C10H16N2O3S (Biotin; Coenzyme R, Biopeiderm), is a water-soluble B-complex vitamin which is composed of an ureido (tetrahydroimidizalone) ring fused with a tetrahydrothiophene ring. (okay J, Jc, please translate....)... Biotin supplements are often recommended as a natural product to counteract the problem of hair loss in both children and adults. The signs and symptoms of biotin deficiency include hair loss which progresses in severity to include loss of eye lashes and eye brows in severely deficient subjects."

and hairboutique.com
"...MSM is Methylsulfonylmethane. Quite simply MSM ... is water soluble, and is not a drug, or a food additive. MSM is the 3rd largest ingredient found in the human body.

MSM is a natural form of organic sulfonyl sulfur compound that is found in the fluid of all living organisms. It is present in a variety of foods, including most fresh raw fruits and green vegetables, milk, meat, seafood, and some grains. It is also found in many common beverages such as milk, coffee and tea. It is, in essence, a pure white, odorless, essentially tasteless, water-soluble crystalline solid sulfur powder.

Why does MSM help with the development of longer and stronger hair? Various scientific studies (uh oh Jc... is this right?) have proven that MSM contributes a definite normalizing effect on body functions.

The sulfur normally provided to the body by MSM is required for healthy collagen and keratin which are essential for healthy hair, skin and nails."

***

has anyone tried biotin or MSM supplements? has anyone tried supplements in general?
what are your thoughts?
i take a multivitamin every day, but not supplements, so i'm not sure how they work.
buttabeen, if you're out there, feel free to comment...

climbing deeper into this natural ish, pt 7: taking stock...

so it seems like yesterday that i announced that my 2009 "goal" was to stop using sulfate shampoos. yeh, i've come a ways since then...

my journey into the bowels of natural hair care has been positive so far, and i wanted to stop and take stock of all that's transpired...

before natural hair care journey...
1. washed hair once a month with sulfate shampoo mixed with apple cider vinegar (not sure what i was going for...)
2. kept protective styles in for a month at a time
3. moisturized daily with elasta qp mango butter
4. deep conditioned with some conditioner that i don't remember and that didn't do shit...
5. detangled and styled with a fine tooth comb, despite multiple warnings they were not created for black people

since starting hair care journey...
1. wash hair every three weeks with bentonite clay mixed with apple cider vinegar, yogurt and a pinch of baking soda. also use bentonite clay as a high-impact facial cleanser
2. keep protective styles in for only 3 weeks at a time, to avoid dirt/product buildup that could lead to knots and breakage
3. moisturize daily with elasta qp mango butter and seal with beloved castor oil
4. co-wash once a week to cleanse/stimulate scalp, and expose hair to water
5. deep condition with a mix of banana, coconut oil, coconut milk, yogurt and honey (plan on adding cassia to deep-conditioning regimen for extra definition and strength)
6. detangle and style with fingers, only use comb to part hair
7. sleep with corny but effective leopard-print satin bonnet (keeps hair from drying out, especially cuz i sleep with a space heater thanks to my bastardly landlord's refusal to turn up the heat)
8. take one multivitamin a day (strengthens hair and wards of malnourishment that might result from the fact that i eat/cook sporadically...)

results...
1. shedding decreased by at LEAST 60%
2. noticeable growth every time i take down box braids... back strands currently 2.5/3 inches from bra-strap
3. noticeably thicker hair (thanks to castor oil)
4. increased coil definition and strength
5. increased optimism

goals/hopes/dreams...
1. have full product line assembled by april/may 2009 (i'm SO not into becoming an endless product junkie... need to have product regimen established so i can move on with life)
2. find daily moisturizer that doesn't contain cones/excess protein (will likely be an oyin/qhemet joint)
3. buy a filter for my exceedingly hard water (thanks again, landlord!), when i can afford it

so there it is, that's where i'm at... any thoughts?
and anyone want to share where they're at?

climbing deeper into this natural ish, pt 6: the revolution will be henna-ized...

"There's something happening here
What it is ain't exactly clear
...
I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down"
~ Buffalo Springfield

among natural hair blogs/websites/forums, that "something" is henna -- the hair dye that loosens/defines your curl, strengthens your strands and invigorates your scalp.

i've wanted to jump on the henna train, but one little thing has kept me from it: my patch

no, not an anti-smoking device... but a cluster of golden-brown strands along my hairline. i lost my patch when my hairline was decimated several months ago. now that it's back, i don't want to lose it again and since henna darkens the hair, i felt i would.

then J told me about cassia which apparently has properties and effects similar to henna, but doesn't color the hair.


"cassia"

this is from www.hennaforhair.com

"cassia obovata powder looks very much like henna powder but generally does not stain hair or hands. It is an excellent conditioner which makes hair glossy and thick, with a healthy scalp."

so i jumped on it! i ordered my cassia last week, and it arrived in the mail a few days ago. i think it will be a good compliment to my bentonite, and i look forward to trying it when i take my box braids down on march 11.

stay posted for a full review.
and is there anyone out there who's tried it already?

friday afternoon fun... well, kinda...

#1 maybe we should be copying little black girls...
so, my former college roomate, who is now a 3rd grade teacher, invited me to speak to her class about newspapers.

but when i got there -- in my cardigan-ed 'teacher fit' with a stack of newspapers in hand -- i instantly wanted to change my presentation from 'classified ads in newspapers' to 'please, i'm begging you, don't start relaxing when you hit 13.'

all the black girls in the class had these healthy, long twists or plaits brushing their shoulders or hanging down their backs. the ish looked all moisturized and what not.

i thought to myself, "how do we convince these girls that their dope hair isn't good enough?!" and "hmmm... i wonder if we could talk about regimens when this presentation is over..."

#2
lina hit the nail on the head in her 'rock solid regimen' interview...
"...one thing that I hope to see in the future are more salons that truly and genuinely cater to caring for and improving upon the beauty of natural hair. Right now finding a stylist that is authentic about natural haircare and open to learning about natural haircare for each individual client is really rare. Natural haircare is not a cookie-cutter cosmetology unit that is taught in beauty school, so experience varies widely..." ~lina

damn right it's rare! i don't care if the hair dresser is black -- she might as well be fuschia for how little she knows about my hair. one of my top fears -- up there with heights and cockroaches -- is a black hairdresser's chair. i've been burned (literally!) too many times and now have black-stylist-a-phobia, as well as nightmares about "the evil hot comb."


"the evil hot comb"

i am waiting for one of you to take all this knowledge we exchange on the natural hair blogs/forums/websites, and start a bomb natural hair salon. best believe i will be first in line at the grand opening. hell, i will pitch a tent outside the night before to be first in line for the grand opening... maybe such a salon exists and i just don't know about... does it?

new to the natural movement: margaret

"Hi, I just recently did the big chop and have been going natural since about June 2008. I would love to be interviewed for your blog!"
~Margaret

Alright then, let's go...

BGLH: where are you from? where you reppin?
M: I am from Southern California. Pasadena to be more exact:)

BGLH: when did you go natural and why?
M: I decided to go natural around this time last year, Feb 2008. I try to be natural and organic when it comes to every aspect of my life. I don't know why my hair had to be any different. Also, my husband loves natural hair and wanted me to give it a try.

BGLH: what is unique about your individual journey into natural hair? M: Well my husband is kind of doing this journey with me. He's the one that helped me with the big chop and he's the one who is constantly encouraging me to pursue healthier hair. Its interesting because he's a white man who knows nothing about black hair. But he does know that natural hair is the most beautiful and he is in love with my natural hair. His support helps me a lot because I know whatever I want to do with my natural hair, he'll love it and find it beautiful.
When I first started with transitioning my husband was the one who told me to research and I had no idea just how many women are doing this journey. I'm so grateful for all of you other girls who are embracing natural hair!

BGLH: what products/ingredients do you use? why?
M: I'm still in the process of finding some products I really like. I like to use natural oils on my hair. I've been using this Herbal Oil by Africa's Best. I found it at Wal-Mart. It keeps my hair really soft. I also like to do hot oil treatments once a week with olive oil and honey. I like that I can make different oil treatments in my own kitchen that are all natural. Other than that I've been trying out different conditioners and shampoos.

BGLH: what products/ingredients do you stay away from? why?
M: I tend to stay away from hair lotions. They always feel really heavy and never keep my hair that soft.

BGLH: what mistakes have you made in your natural journey that you've learned from? M: Getting a weave! It wasn't really the weave that I had a problem with but with the braids were too tight and my hair was in the transitioning phase at the time so I lost a lot of hair and it really dried out. And not doing the big chop sooner:) I'm in love with this short hair and I feel so free and beautiful.

BGLH: how's the growth coming?

M: The growth is coming along! I was pregnant at the same time I started to transition so that was helpful since I was taking prenatal vitamins. I still take them so it helps with my hair growth. I know I'm not going to have a TON of growth within a year, but I'm committed to this and I will be patient:) I know when it does get to a length I want, I'll be so thankful I stuck it out. My hair is so healthy now and thicker. I'm loving it So far though, I love the short hair so we'll see!

BGLH: what is your one burning question for natural veterans?
M: What is a good product to use to add more definition to coils?

alright ladies, help her out!
(and if you would like to be a featured newbie, email me at contro_versial@homtail.com)

rock solid: lina, pt 2

(click here for part 1)
this is part 2 of our rock solid regimen interview with lina. part 3 will focus more on her personal journey.

BGLH: you have really thick hair, how do you go about washing it? (and what, exactly, is a co-wash?)
L: Usually I apply Lekair cholesterol mixed with coconut oil to my hair overnite. In the morning I make 6-8 braids with the roots loose, for easy scalp access. I apply a watery shampoo or conditioner to the base of each braid and massage into each scalp section very well. Then I leave it on for 5 min and rinse. If I have a lot of buildup, I will spray diluted apple cider vinegar over my lathered scalp and massage again, then rinse. During my deep condition, I detangle each braided section and then convert them to twists when ready to rinse. After 2005 I stopped washing my hair loose. This was breaking and tearing my hair apart. Washing with loose braids eased my detangling woes and helped me conserve energy and hair. It was also helping me moisturize more efficiently. I also do co-washes, which means that I use conditioner to cleanse the hair versus shampoo. Many conditioners have cleansing ingredients, but are sulfate-free and much gentler on the hair strands. For curly natural hair this can lead to a significant improvement in moisture retention, as many shampoos strip the hair of its natural oils. However, shampooing may be necessary from time to time. I think I shampoo 2x a month and co-wash the rest of the time. My favorite co-wash is with Nature’s Gate herbal conditioner.

BGLH: what is your favorite style? and how do you do it?

L: This is a really hard one to answer, because as you can tell from my fotki, I like to experiment! I would say my favorite style ties between rollerset twists and rollerset braids. For rollerset twists, I have found that sponge rollers are convenient as well as flexirods, and I enjoy the results with either.

For box braids, last year I used very small perm rods for my braid rollerset and I just adored them! Rollersets also last several days without re-rolling. For my braids, the set lasted 7-10 days before I needed to re-set. In the braid sets, I roll each braid individually with a perm roller from end to tip, and I keep the roller vertical or at a diagonal. For the flexi-rods, I keep most of the rods at a diagonal while rolling 6-8 twists at a time, from root to tip, making sure that the tips of the twists lay flat on the rod and are overlapped with hair as you wind it on the roller. Mwedzi has a great flexi-rod tutorial that I use to sharpen my technique.

BGLH: what is your growth regimen?

L: Basically my hair grows well in twist styles, be it twists with my natural hair or kinky twists.. So I pretty much leave my hair in protective styles – these are styles that I don’t have to touch up or refresh for at least a 3 week period. I massage my hair nightly with a mix of homemade and ayurvedic oils, and I sleep with a satin bonnet. I take prenatal vitamins, alfalfa, biotin, CoQ10, and borage oil for internal and external health, and I get my protein through green veggies, flax, hemp seed, fruits and daily smoothies with wheatgrass and spirulina added. I have not had much success with growth aids, although I have a mix that I am using now that seems to be helpful, but we’ll see… Overall, lots of moisturizing and protective styles, along with exercise, massage and eating well are what work for me.

BGLH: why do you think so many black women believe that afro-textured hair can't grow?
L: I think that it is a learned viewpoint that can be changed with exposure. Although my sisters and I had past-shoulder length hair early in the permie days (2nd grade to 5th grade) after we hit puberty, information from our peers and the outside world began to have a greater influence on us. We knew no one with natural hair, much less long hair… unless they were Latina or Indian. I think the words and actions of people we look up to, along with the insults of hurtful people can negatively affect how we feel about ourselves and our hair. Fast-forward several decades and my hair is natural and longer than I can ever remember. Discovering this haircare revelation after a personal fasting period reminded me that what I think can more accurately dictate my experience than any thing else going on in my life. I also had examples of people with long hair, both relaxed and natural (Robin from GAHL, MotownGirl, and seeing Roshini and Melanizm13’s pics) which makes this journey even more tangible and attainable. I think the mindset needs to change, and there is so much more information out there now there is really no reason why you cant at least aim high—there are really no limits except what you put on yourself.

BGLH: in terms of natural women in society, what do you hope to see in the future?

L: Wow – there is already so much that I am seeing now in terms of presence. But one thing that I hope to see in the future are more salons that truly and genuinely cater to caring for and improving upon the beauty of natural hair. Right now finding a stylist that is authentic about natural haircare and open to learning about natural haircare for each individual client is really rare. Natural haircare is not a cookie-cutter cosmetology unit that is taught in beauty school, so experience varies widely and right now is wide open if you want to start up a salon or a business in the arena. The best way to learn about natural haircare (for those aspiring stylists) is to be open and receptive to the client’s knowledge of self-care, find some reputable resources and jump right in. Also take care of your own hair!! I think it says a lot when your hair is healthier than your stylist’s hair.. I think natural haircare and loc-care is here to stay, but the demand is growing fast, and some businesses are all about profit versus dependable service.

lina's fotki page is here...
***
thoughts/comments?

more thoughts on length...

i know this is more like 'sunday retrospective' material, but the recent length/growth/strand retention discussion ruffled feathers, and some things, i'm sure, have been left unsaid.

here are three, very opposite responses i've received in response to the post...

from Asha, who submitted a question...
I went on your website and I was so pleased to find that it is possible to grow Black afro hair naturally long!!!
My hair seems to be more black than it is white. I absolutely adore the natural look, however I find I can never grow it past my neck despite the fact it has never been cut!

from flowerchild, a regular commenter...
I don't feel like talking about length is oppressive. I think that everyone's primary focus and concern should be on hair health. When you take good care of your hair, it will grow. When people say "I don't care about length, I just want healthy hair", I don't think they're saying they don't want long hair. I think they're saying that they are willing to do things like take two inches off their ends if they feel their ends are a little suspect. ... I know you're on the other end of the debate but your blog contradicts you. It may be called Black Girl With Long Hair but you provide us with information for maintaining healthy hair. Your posts are about the best moisturizers, conditioners, oils, and all things relevant to having healthy hair.

from an angry blogger...
"if you hair isn't growing you're doing something wrong"
Goodness. In that case, if you're trying but you can't lose that last 15 pounds, YOU are doing something wrong. If you are single and don't want to be, YOU are doing something wrong. If anything isn't how it should be, even though you're doing all you can YOU still are doing something wrong.
I'm open to hearing other's points of view but this is enough. I try to stay away from such narrowmindedness in any area of my life. ...These things are just pure mean spirited judgement. And that's just sad!

***

three very different responses... but one thing is for certain: the issue of length among black women really touches a nerve.
there are a few things i want to say before i open the floor to your comments/discussions.

#1
i don't want to be "that blog"... you know — the blog that is cultishly obsessed with one issue. my blog is called 'black girl with long hair' primarily to make a personal and political statement; that, in defiance of relaxers and all things synthetic, black women ARE capable of growing out their natural textures. and that was kind of the point of the recent african style week. now, as flowerchild pointed out, this blog really isn't, at its core, a length idolizing blog [pause for sarcastic reaction] it can't be, because length is a choice. i am very aware that not all black women want or need long hair, and my discussions on length's importance are limited to the fact that it is, in many cases, a sign of hair health. health should — and always will — be BGLH's primary focus. (oh, and styling... i LOOOVE styling!)

#2
in response to the angry blogger's comment. naturally, i was defensive when i first read it. but as i turned the comment over in my mind, i thought back to coffee i had with a friend three months ago. we did our 'big chop' around the same time. but as my hair has managed to grow towards bra-strap length, hers is still around 4 inches. she talked about how frustrated she was — that after taking the plunge and cutting her relaxed hair, she was stuck in a limbo — hoping for length, but also wanting to be affirmed for the beauty she already possessed as a woman who had made a bold move to embrace her natural self.

that gave me pause. and i wondered if, in my zeal to inspire natural women to believe in their hair's growth potential, i was isolating those whose natural hair — by choice or circumstance — remains short. i could understand, then, how the angry blogger could feel that certain comments were "pure mean spirited judgment."

so, there... *phew*
now, your thoughts? [and i also understand that some of your are simply tired of discussing this...]

rock solid: lina, pt 1

so, lina is going to kick off our rock solid regimen series... this is part one.

she was recently featured on keep it kinky, so you can check that out as well...

BGLH: What HAS NOT worked for your hair, in terms of regimen or products?
L: For regimens:
a) I cannot go for more than 7 days without washing or rinsing my hair. When I was permed, washing the hair before a retouch was viewed as a style-killer.. Regardless of the style I wear, I now wash or rinse my hair once (sometimes twice) weekly. At the very least, I need to cleanse my scalp and expose my hair to water weekly.
b)I also need to apply products to my hair. My hair does not like to be “naked”, but my scalp does. I usually have to apply an oil or butter to the length and a water-based moisturizer to the length and scalp.
For products:
a) Natural products work best on my hair. I noticed that at 9 months natural, all the relaxed hair products I was using began to negatively affect my hair, mainly because they had no nutrients to help my hair stay healthy. It was like I was feeding my hair processed fast food! I try to avoid products with mineral oil (most black haircare products unfortunately) and I use mostly products that are vegan/vegetarian, or I make my own.

BGLH: what, in your opinion, is the #1 mistake that aspiring naturals make?
L: I think the #1 mistake is not getting enough information on natural haircare beforehand. I notice that many potential clients who want to go natural or loc their hair already have a texture, length and hairstyle in mind and want to aspire to other people’s images and ideals BEFORE learning what their own true texture is! Also some newbies and naturals have to take into account where they live or whom they have access to -- resources, knowledge, and support may also be needed to help keep them from abusing natural hair too. I think some aspiring naturals also assume that relaxed hair routines will completely carry over and that there is no learning curve for natural haircare.

There are several transitions within the natural hair journey. Sometimes it’s the hair (routine), then the products, then the mindset. For others, it’s the mindset, then the products (converting to kitchen routines or natural products while relaxed or transitioning) and finally the routine. It varies widely with every individual.

BGLH: what products work best for you, and why?
L: Oy Vey! I have tried soo many –My hair is soo thick that it takes several weeks to really detect whether something works or not. But overall, my hair likes diluted/mild cleansers for washing, and thick oily moisturizing products for conditioning. My hair also likes oils and butters for holding in moisture, and teas or floral waters for refreshing. From early on in my natural journey, I found that my hair really likes coconut oil and shea butter-based products. Aubrey Organics’ line is mainly based with coconut oil, and I get a lot of shea butter from my Nigerian connection (mommy and grandmom!). I use protein sources mainly when I have extensions or box braids, and henna, mayonnaise and yogurt work best for that . For light protein needs, I add Infusium 23 or silk amino acids (SAA) to my leave-ins.

***

my thoughts: like lina, i have a natural hair product bias... unlike lina, i wash my hair every 3 weeks (although i'm starting to become concerned about product buildup)... and are hair butters any different than water-based moisturizing creams?
compare to your own regimen and please discuss! lina, if you're out there... please chime in!
and you can check out lina's fotki page here...

monday night mishmash...

#1
so, apparently, a significant portion of the BGLH community believes that length/growth is not necessarily a sign of hair health... which effectively cast me as a length/growth tyrant in our recent discussions on erykah badu's hair. i find this intriguing. and honestly, a bit confusing. when my hair wasn't growing, i always assumed it was because it wasn't healthy. when it started growing, i assumed it was because i was taking better care of it. i checked wikipedia, and found this...

"Human scalp hair normally grows at a rate of 0.4 mm /day (incidentally human scalp hair grows at a rate four times that of human nails. Human nails grow at a rate of 0.1 mm/day)."

"There are differences across ethnicity in the structure, density, and growth rate of hair. With regards to structure, Caucasian hair, Black hair, and Asian hair, all have the same basic chemical composition in terms of keratin protein content.[1] However, Franbourg et al have found that Black hair may differ in the distribution of lipids throughout the hair shaft. This, in turn, may affect the sorption levels of Afro-hair which thereby explains why Afro-textured hair absorbs 10 to 15% less moisture than does straight hair. Concerning density and rate of growth, Loussouarn found that Afro-textured hair was neither as densely concentrated nor as rapidly growing as Caucasian hair. Specifically, the average density of Afro-textured hair was found to be approximately 190 hairs per square centimeter. This was significantly lower than that of Caucasian hair, which, on average, produces approximately 227 hairs per square centimeter. Further, Loussourarn found that Afro-textured hair grows at an average rate of approximately 256 micrometers per day, while that of Caucasians grows at approximately 396 micrometers per day."

so there you have it. white people are hairier, black people's hair grows slower... but it does grow. since there seems to be a huge stigma associated with the words "growth" and "length", i think i'm going to start saying "strand retention" or "ends retention"... cause that's basically all that growth/length is... but i digress.

what i really want to know is how many of you disagree with me on this (and i appreciate those who spoke out on the erykah post... makes for good discussion), so i'm pollin' it up again. look out for a new poll coming soon to the right-hand sidebar.

#2
apparently kinky curly (creator of the famous kinky curly custard) had a temporary halt in production. what interested me, though, is the legal issues with anthony dickey of the 'hair rules' company she mentioned. seeing that i report on the legal system for a living, i immediately began digging and found that, apparently, hair rules is suing kinky curly over intellectual property — or, basically, idea joc-ery (idea theft for those unfamiliar with the term 'joc'). i dug a little deeper to try to find out more, but as usual the worthless mainstream media totally overlooked this. all i know is that the suit was filed in nov. 2008. at this point, no judgment has been made, and i'm not super-familiar with kinky curly or hair rules, so for the first time in my life i don't have an opinion on this one.

#3

i'm unveiling another series called 'rock solid regimen' it's an idea i came up with randomly one day, as i was thinking hard about ways to improve this blog. i figure that some women are best at styling, while others are *killing* it with the regimen/hair products. i haven't made the distinction in past interviews... but from here on out, i will either profile women for their style or their regimen. and, in the rare magic moment when a woman has both, i'll ask 2 extra questions do an extended interview special...

monday style icon: f2x

f2x is, seriously, one of the hottest chicks in the natural hair game. she's been featured on my blog more times than i can count, and her fotki albums are probably among the most-viewed. i have never seen someone who has so much fun, and is so creative with her natural hair. i think cornrowed styles are her forte... although she is really good at twisting loose strands into updos and buns...







now hurry, hurry... run over to her fotki page to salivate at all the goodness...
comments?
[and if you think your styling is bomb, and you want to be a monday style icon, email me at contro_versial@hotmail.com]

sunday retrospective... thoughts on length and superiority

***update @ 2:43 pm... to better communicate my point, i crossed out every instance of the world 'length' and replaced it with the word 'growth'... maybe i should rename my blog 'black girl with growth'***
so i really lit it up on BGLH with my recent post on erykah badu's hair. and i know i put a lot of people in a sort of awkward position since so many of you (including msyelf) are erykah fans...

but i didn't comment on erykah's music, her message or her style... i commented on her often dry-looking natural hair which, i think, communicates something. and if erykah badu was erykah johnson in the apartment next door, i think i'd still be concerned.

i can't help it... i BLOG about natural hair.

so, a lot of the responses i got were kinda like, "well... the bombness of erykah's music makes up for the dryness of her hair... plus, sista's too deep to need a trim and deep condition."

so here's my question...

since when did not caring about hair become synonymous with wisdom, superiority and emotional fortitude?
if that's the case, i had PLENTY of wisdom, superiority and emotional fortitude in the years i spent frying my hair, hiding it, and destroying my hairline...

and it baffles me some of the double-speak we (including myself) can engage in.

on one hand we lament relaxers, because we feel that too many black women feel they are the ONLY option...
on the other hand we are loathe to accept basic tenets of proper natural hair care: moisture, thickness and length growth...

yes, i said it... LENGTH! GROWTH!
length, length, length! growth, growth, growth!
lengthy, length, length! growthy, growth, growth!

not for it's own sake, but because, look, there is NO WAY that healthy hair does not grow. there is just no planet where that happens.

what you decide to do with that length growth — chop it into a boy cut or a bob, or leave it be — is totally up to you. of COURSE, there is beauty at all lengths growths (?). but i'm baffled when black women say, "i just care about hair health not length growth. who cares about length growth."

well, if your teeny weeny afro is 'self trimming', i.e. it hasn't budged in the past 3 years, then something in the regimen's gotta be off.

now, back to erykah. you've seen dave chapelle's block party... and when erykah's wig came off... i kinda jolted in my seat. not because her hair was short (i was a huge fan of bald erykah), but because it looked like it was struggling...

does it make her music bad? no
does it make me respect her any less? hell no
does it tell me something about natural hair at all levels of society? perhaps

okay now i KNOW i'm going to get chewed out for this, lol. just know that i say it with love, and i am very aware that my opinion is not the only one... so now even though i'm kinda scared i'm gonna turn it over to you... thoughts?

reader question: transitioning...

Hey, Jessica sent this a few weeks back. check it...

"My name is Jessica and I am currently a sophomore in college, and I am really thinking about going natural. The problem is that I do not know where to start. I havent had a relaxer since Nov. 30 of last year; I normally get one every 3 months. Because I am in school its hard to find a hair dresser that I can trust, so I normally wait until I get home to do any major work to my hair. So, its been a couple of months and the new growth has started to come in. I recently got my roots pressed and hair flat ironed and I just really need something to do with it. Some would say that my hair is long it comes to about my shoulderblade. I just dont want to chop it all off immediately, so I was thinking about getting cornrows. If you were in my situation what would you do first?"

well, i've never been in that situation (i went edward scissorhands on my hair), but J has, and she wrote about it several weeks back. here's an excerpt from the post.

"The first time I went natural, I transitioned because I was fearful of short hair (having had shoulder length or longer hair all of my life). When I transitioned, there were virtually no [internet] hair boards, but I still found the process very easy. I transitioned for the first six months off and on with professional braid extensions. During that time and thru the end of my transition, I styled my own hair without extensions. Those styles included slicked-back buns using gel, cornrows, flat twists, and twists with “ouchless” rubber bands at the ends. I even had my hair flat ironed (not hot-combed!) twice during the transition for a change of pace. I trimmed 1-2 inches off of my hair a month. I enjoyed my transition and was anxious for a full head of natural hair. During the process, I actually became less concerned with length and grew more curious of short hair. At the end of 10-11 months, I cut the rest of the relaxer out."

Click here for the rest of the post, where J talks in depth about different methods of transitioning, and how to keep your hair healthy during the process.

also, i want to turn it over to you guys... any advice for Jessica?
[and if you have questions, feel free to email them to contro_versial@hotmail.com]

some friday afternoon fun...

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"My hair ain't never hung down to my shoulders / And it might not grow / Ya' never know" ~Erykah Badu in her song Cleva

there's a lot i could say like, i love erykyah, but how does the princess of neo-soul and all things natural not know how to take care of her hair? but i'll bite my tongue... i want to hear your thoughts...

another really good natural weave...

so, a few months back we swooned over simnicity's amazingly realistic looking natural-weave ponytail.

i'm happy to say i found another example of a really good natural weave...

kinkerbelle, who was pregnant at the time, put this in.
from her fotki page:
- Bohyme Brazilian Hair
- 14"
- 1 pack - NO split wefts (adding another 1/2 pack or so later)
- Color '1B', but added hair will probably be '2'
- Horsehoe left out at the top (about 2 inches wide) and some aroud the perimeter and along the nape for blending and the ability to put the hair in a ponytail.




remember, BGLH is a NO-BAD-WEAVE zone. so no bird's nest-ish, tryna-be-like-tyra/beyonce weave. please... take heed.

African style week, pt 10 (final installment)

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***thanks sue for sending the additional photos! and a million thanks to sugabelly for sending the bulk... girl, you just don't know***

it wasn't always this way aka how i discovered my coils

so, i gotta say, i was surprised by all the responses on my post-bentonite/banana photos. i got a lot of comments to the effect of "wow. you have beautiful texture." um.... wasn't too sure how to respond to all of it, cuz it's all so new to me. ... and i wanted to explain why...

so, like most black girls, my hair was soft growing up. kind of like cotton candy with a slight sheen. but somewhere in between childhood and teenhood, it lost its way, and went from being soft to coarse and unmanageable. i didn't know why. i just thought it was a rite of passage all black girls went through unless you were chosen by the gods to have "good hair". i wasn't one of the chosen, so i assigned myself to the "hopelessly nappy" category and began the hair extension/press-and-curl circuit.

one day in college, after i'd washed my hair in between hair extension appointments (with sulfate shampoo *ugh*), i stepped out of the shower to my roomate's exclamation of "you got nice hair, girl." i didn't even turn around... because i assumed she was talking to our third creole roommate, who had a headful of loose, dark curls.

but, no, she was talking to me. "huh?," i said. she kept bringing it up, and one day she asked, "why can't your hair stay like it is when it's wet."

and honestly, i didn't know. because i hadn't even paid attention. i didn't understand the connection between moisture and coil definition. i hadn't stopped to notice that when my hair was wet, it hung in hundreds of spirally coils. all i knew was when it dried, it was thick, coarse and tangled, and basically, it was hell.

a few years later, after i had done my 'big chop', and vowed to start my hair journey anew, i began using elasta qp mango butter. and it was the first time i put two and two together. now, i have some reservations about elasta qp. but i can't deny that the moisture penetrated my shaft, and after applying just a small amount, my coils just sprung up.

it was a bit, uh, disorienting... 'this is not my hair,' i thought. 'this hair doesn't belong to me. what is this?!' *aaagghh...*

i soon realized that it wasn't my hair that was crazy... it was me. all these years my hair had been thirsty, just so thirsty, and i hadn't even noticed. my coils were a direct indication of my hair's moisture level — when they bungled up and became coarse and brittle, it meant they were dry. when they were soft, springy and defined, it meant they were moisturized.

it's been weird getting used to my coils. it's weird to think that i could just run some moisturizer through my coily afro, stick a headband in and go. i mean, getting used to my coils is kind of like meeting that half-sibling you just found out about. i mean, you know they're a part of you... but they are still so unfamiliar.

i just think it's it's a testament to how many years black women can go without knowing anything about their hair.

so, i already posted this... but this is how my hair looks when moisturized:

and i want to hear your stories... have any of you kind of 'stumbled upon' your true texture or color or elasticity after years of thinking it was something else?

African style week, pt 9

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coil definition or loosened coils?

my bentonite wash (bentonite, yogurt, apple cider vinegar, and a drop of baking powder), and my deep conditioner (banana, coconut oil, coconut milk, honey, yogurt) did something to my coils... i don't know if they loosened them, or just defined them.

whatever happened wasn't that drastic, since i can't tell the difference...

but i did want to show some before and after bentonite pictures...
this is my texture (and my wide open closet) several months back, before i started using bentonite

this is my hair after the bentonite rinse last night


(i know what you're thinking — what the hell is she doing with her hands? well, i was *trying* to like, show the dark coil against my light palms... but instead i just ended up looking retarded. sorry.)
so, anyway, when you hear me talking about bentonite and coil definition, this is what i mean. what about you? do you have any products that loosen/define your curls? thoughts?

my banana conditioner review (climbing deeper into this natural ish, pt 4)

so i tried my banana/coconut conditioner last night... and i'll start by saying that i spent 3 hours picking banana particles out of my napps... yeh, this isn't going to be a good review.

so, you know, i did my bentonite wash, and gathered the ingredients for my conditioner — i picked up a banana, bit off a piece, dumped it into the blender, picked up a second banana, bit off a piece, momentarily regretted that i was using banana for hair instead of food, and dumped it in the blender. then i added coconut milk (which had frozen into a thick cream thanks to my landlord's refusal to turn up the heat... thanks jerk!), coconut oil, olive oil and yogurt.

and then i blended it , i swear i did — 'pureed' to be exact. and it looked creamy and well-mixed. i poured it into a bowl, but right before i applied it to my hair i just, i just had a moment where i kinda freaked out about putting food in my hair. everything smelt like banana, and i kinda, you kno, blanked out for a second. but i got over it, put the mix in my hair, and waited for two hours.

i then rinsed out the conditioner and i gotta say, my hair was definitely soft, my coils well defined. and i was impressed... for about two minutes. because then they started to appear ... little teeny cream-colored specks... everywhere!

***disclaimer.. do not try anything i do from this point on. it is NOT recommended***

so for another hour, i tried picking these things out... first with my hands (bad), then with a fine tooth comb (even worse)... then i came up with a 'bright' idea. i decided to apply bentonite to my hair to give it some slip so that i could a.) pick out the banana and b.) detangle and put in a new set of box braids.

so i dragged my banana-encrusted, bentonite-infused head in front of the TV, and got to work.

i cannot express to you how dirty i felt... inside. as the bentonite/banana mix caked up beneath my fingernails. but i finished two hours later, and rinsed my hair out.

are there still some teeny banana particles in my head? probably. but i'm not going to think about that. i'm going to put on a brave face, keep doing bentonite rinses, and hope for the best.

this whole experience really freaked me out. i mean, i've put natural ingredients like bentonite and castor oil in my hair before, but this is the first time i put all-out food, like... straight muffin batter... in my hair.

had i been more careful with the banana perhaps i wouldn't feel this way. but this whole experience taught me a benefit of manufactured products: um, they're not food. they don't have the consistency of food. they don't smell like food. they don't look like food. and i'mma be real... i want that in my life right now.

my horrific experience aside, if you have a strategy to combat the banana, i would recommend this as a conditioner. i mean i think it would be good even if you skipped the banana and just did the coconut oil/coconut milk/yogurt trifecta.

but as for me and my hair, we're pullin out of banana/coconut station, and cruising (again) for the next best thing.

Winners
yogurt
coconut milk/coconut oil

Losers
banana

Next Contenders
well.... i think i'm going to look for a manufactured deep conditioner (i can hear Jc rejoicing now...), and combine it with some natural products.

Next hair take-down day
Mar. 11

okay, i DEFINITELY want to hear your thoughts on this...
also, is there anyone out there who has had a good banana conditioning experience?

African style week, pt 8

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