From the Root

Hello friends,

It's been a minute since I posted anything. My bad, life got a little hectic, but I am back with another nugget of info.

Since I started my journey I feel that my hair has grown quite quickly in 3 years. I will post pics of my hair length check on October 27, which will be my 3 post Big Chop anniversary.  Yay me!!!

But now that my hair is about 11 inches on average around my head I feel that it should be longer. Why, you ask? Well because of the rapid pace of growth from when I started. This leads me to wonder what I have been doing different or wrong to have stunted my hair growth. When I first started I would wash my hair every day. This is due to the fact that at night my hair would get matted and I needed to spruce it up for the day. By washing it every day I cleansed it, and moisturized it. Now I wash my hair every 3 days to a week. I only recently started using oils instead of my IC styling gel. I have tried different products and have been able to add different do's to my regimen.

 I have also noticed that I am trying to treat my hair like other people treat theirs. I now know that this was faulty thinking on my part. I know my hair, so why am I trying to do things to it that I know it doesn’t like. Most people wash their hair very little, that’s with shampoo, but rather Co-wash or clean their hair with conditioner. This does not work for me. My hair is more rough and frizzy when I co-wash. It’s like it needs Shampoo for it to be clean. Also, I have dandruff. Bad. I used to have psoriasis when I was a kid and since then I have had to use sulfer 8 (a scalp grease) and wash with shampoo at least once a week. Changing my routine has not made my hair happy.

Good things that I have been doing; adding Argan Oil and other oils to my scalp and hair add to its luster and bounce. Using a sulfate free shampoo and adding a leave- in conditioner to my regimen.

I have been so focused on my hair ends that I forgot about my scalp and working from the root to the tip! Gosh! Since changing back to my old ways and adding some good habits (drinking more water, taking a multivitamin, and using products with biotin and keratin in them) I find that already my hair is back to its wonderful self.

So, the moral of this story is: Listen to your hair and pay attention to your roots. You may find that following the crowd is not for you. Your hair is as individual as you are. The fun in the journey is learning your hair all over again. And like in any good relationship it starts with communication! Be a good listener because your hair is trying to tell you something!

Until next time Naturalista’s

Monica

Quick Post- Hating the Big Chop

Hi yall!

So I am back with a quick post on Hating the Big Chop. This Post is prompted by a girl I saw on Youtube (because I am a youtube junkie) and she talked about how much she hated her hair after the big chop.  I have to say that I was very hurt to hear how sad and devistated she was about having short hair. She said it had gone wrong and that natural hair is not for everyone. I can't stand when people say that its not for everyone.

ITS NATURAL! THEREFORE IT IS FOR EVERYONE!!

As I have said before being a nartualista is a lifestyle. You have to get used to it! If you choose to do the big chop where you only have 2 or 3 inches of hair you have to expect to look differently. Will it be a shock? YES! But its not wrong, nor should you feel bad about it. You are in transition, it will get longer, and you will love the way you look.

I got curious, so I checked out the girls channel and saw that she had made another video where she apologized for her Gone Wrong vid. Seeing that made me happy because if she had gone through all that trouble just to relax her hair again I was going to b devistated! LOL!

I know I'm overly dramatic, and I shouldn't care about some girl who didn't like her hair, but I can't help it! Having healthy hair and helping naturals is something I am passionate about. As women our hair means alot to us, so we should love it and take care of it. It adds to our overall view of ourselves and if we don't like it we can't be at our best. And I am all for everyone being at their best!

Stay Healthy Friends!

New to me!

Hello friends,

Its been a while but I'm going to try and do better! I have just gotten the blogger app on my phone so I'm learning how to use this thing so bare with me as i play around with it.

On to business though, i have found a fun little product by Shea moisture. Its their Curl Enhancing Smoothie in the pink tub.

Now, i may be late on this one  but i wanted to review it in case someone didn't know about it.

The texture if the product is thick and creamy vs the jelly texture of kinky curlys hair custard. Both are used to help define curls, but they each do it in very different ways.

Curl Enhancing Smoothie- its rich smooth texture may lead you to believe that you need more of it but less is definitely more! With this you get soft springy curls that dry fast. It goings on easy so you can comb it through hair quickly and with little to no breakage. At least that's what i have found with my hair. The price $9.99 at target

Curling Custard- This is also a product where you only need a little to get your desired style. The custard has a jelly texture and is not that easy to work through the hair when wet. The results however are awesome! Once you have worked it through the hair when wet and it dries your curld are me defined and springy. The great thing about thus product is that you can add more or less of it if you want more or less hold. The curl cream does not hold at all.
Price- 16.99 at target.

I have to say that I'm all for Kinky curly custard! That may be because i used itfirst but i love it even despite the price.
The Shea Moisture Smoothie can be used in dry and wet hair where the custard is best on wet.

I suggest each one, but not at the same time. They both have great uses, but this is about Shea moisture. Overall i give it an A for great curl definition and it smells great  this product is a great choice for price and usability. Everyone should have this in their hair kit!

Down to Products

So far on my journey I have found that what works for me does not work for everyone, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t try something new!

Here is a list of what I use on my hair:

Suave Humectant Shampoo and conditioner,

or Suave Keratin Infusion shampoo and conditioner and

Tresemme moisture rich Shampoo and conditioner.

·        These are the cones I have recently used, but I have found that the tresemme moisture rich products really make my hair softer and more manageable especially when I use it with the products listed below. I do warn that these products have sulfates in them, but I usually wash once and then condition for about 5-10 minutes and then rinse.

Softee Shea butter

·        This is a good oil to use on your scalp and on your ends to help seal in moisture. There is also Coconut oil, but using either one is a personal preference.

 Organix Moroccan  Argan Oil

·        You may have heard that people are using Argan Oil to help combat frizz and I have found that this is true. At least for me. After my hair is clean and conditioned I used a small amount and rub it through my hair. As it dries I find that my hair is much less frizzy and has more definition to the curl.

Kinky Curly Custard

·        I love this stuff! Using a small amount helps with frizz as well and helping define the curl. If I use more my hair becomes very defined as it dries and the custard acts as a gel. My hair becomes a bit crunchy, but without the flakiness of other gels. I do this sometimes to help make the curls last longer during the week.

These are the current staple in my hair regimen, but I plan on trying out other products to see how they work for my hair type.

Here is a list of products that people have suggested for me to try:

Carols Daughter Products

Hair One (Like Wen but cheaper) My cousin uses this and she has fine think hair.

Giovanni products

Jason Natural

Avalon Organics

There are a plethora of brand names to choose from, but these are some that I have seen many people suggest. Something to keep in mind when looking for products for your hair you want things that add moisture, Have No sulfate, and Have No Parabens. Sulfates are like a detergent and strip hair of natural oils so we don’t want to do that, and Parabens are used as a preserving agent to fight bacteria and fungus. Sounds goods right? Wrong! It’s not naturally occurring and studies have shown that they are unhealthy and may be linked to cancer. These are my suggestions, but Google it yourself and make your own decisions. You may find that Sulfates and Parabens are not so bad after all (I doubt it, but don’t take my word for it.)

Half the fun of being natural is trying different products to see which works best for you. You may also find that there is a retailer in your area that sells natural or organic hair supplies. If not, a helpful site I found is iherb.com. It has a variety of brand names and products for those searching for Organic Hair supplies.

It’s not much, but I hope it helps. Feel free to leave a comment about items you use or websites you find helpful. Youtube.com is a Great tool when trying to find styles, products, and stories.

Until Next time my naturalistas!

Monica

Transitioning made simple!

Alright, so you have made the decision to begin your life anew, to start on an adventure, to to...  to Go Natural!

Here are the steps to follow as you start you new journey:

Step 1: Really decide that you want to do away with chemicals stripping and destroying your hair.  No more relaxers!

Step 2: This step occurs immediately after deciding to stop relaxing. You are now in transition. These first few weeks are easy, you’re just loving your silky straight hair, it’s when you start to feel those naps grow that you begin to panic! Don’t! There are ways to deal with those kinks.

Step 3: This step depends on how long you go before you get a touch up, but once you notice that it’s becoming obvious that you have two hair textures going on and you want to know what to do. Well you have two options, cut it off or try some different hair styles to hide the dual hair textures.

·        I am all for big chopping, usually after 6 months. This is because the longer you wait the more likely you run the risk of allowing your already damaged hair to reach your healthy new growth. That is something you do not want to happen, so that is why many people go for the big chop, but you don’t have to.

·        You decide to just deal with your hair as is and trim as you go so the change is not that noticeable. That is fine, just make sure that you moisturize and use sulfate free/ paraben free products. Be careful about using weave and try to find a natural hair stylist near you because few main stream stylist are used to working with natural hair.

Step four: You have done the big chop or have grown your hair out to a point you feel comfortable and then finally have cut off the relaxed hair. Congrats!!!! You are now a Naturalista! Celebrate and take in the moment because its life altering and from this point on you and the world will look at you differently!

It’s around this time that you once again question your judgement and wonder if you are crazy, but you’re not. You are living a new life, a healthy life, a Creamy Crack free life!

Next time I will go into more of what products to use and what to look for in the products you choose. Being Natural doesn’t have to be expensive, but it definitely can be. I will give you a few ideas on how to make sure your new life doesn’t break the bank.

Naturally yours,

Monica

Quick Post

So the way I plan on working this thing is by posting a main topic post each week, but durning the week I may find something that I just need to post about, tha I will call Quick Post. This weeks Quick Post will be about Water! No matter the stage, water is your best friend. Here are just a few tips that help me keep my hair tangle and damage free:

1. Use a wide tooth comb on your hair any time you are working with it.
2. Water Water Water is key when trying to do anything to your hair so keep a squirt bottle. It will be your best friend!
3. If you don't use a detangler or leave-in conditioner you better start cause they help with softness and manageability
4. Replace grease with oils such as Shea Butter or Coconut oil. These are vital to help keep you hair ends and scalp health. A little goes along way, so don't over do it.

These are only tips and things that I do to help keep my hair up, it is up to you to figure out how it works best for you. There is no simple equation to your hair, half the fun is playing around with different things to see what products work best. Remember: You are embarking or have already started on a life altering experiance, so keep it up. Don't fall in rut and stop caring for your hair ot just throw something over it and call it a day. The better you care for your hair the better your hair will work for you!

More to come: Info on Hair types, products, split ends, styles, and healthy eating. Please leave a comment if anything I have posted has been helpful, or if you have any questions and especially if you have tips to help others with your type of hair. Thanks for reading!

Hello My Name is Monica....

And I have been Creamy Crack free for 3 years now. I began this journey as an experiment to see what my hair would look like natural. I waited 6 months and then did the big chop. Along the way to The Big Chop I researched and talked to other woman I knew who were natural. I didn't want to be just another girl going natural, like it was the cool thing to do. Deep down I really wanted to see myself in a new light. I said that if it didn't look right I was going to slap some relaxer in my head so fast my head would spin, but once my mind was made up to go natural I knew that I was never going back.

            I remember cutting my hair like it was yesterday. The mingling of fear and excitement had me a little light headed as I cut off the straight processed hair and revealed the curly, kinky hair underneath. I was amazed at how I looked. Since I was a girl my hair had always been shoulder length. I have associated my beauty with my hair and when I cut it off who was I now? Was I still beautiful? At the time the enormity of what I had done did not hit me until I came to see how the world looked at me. I can’t say that my friends and family were unsupportive, but they weren’t supportive either. I was asked why I did it and then there would be the awkward stare, finally a lack luster ‘as long as you’re happy’. I felt bad and questioned my choice. Sometimes I shed a tear because I felt I had lost some piece of me. Then I talked more to my cousin, who had gone natural two years before me and my spirit was renewed. It was like a part of me on the inside had come out and through my transition period I grew a greater strength and security in myself. I loved me short hair and all and if someone didn’t like it oh well! Having my cousin in my corner let me know that I was not alone, that I was still the same person I had just moved on to the next chapter in my life and I was not looking back.
           

What most people don’t realize is that it’s not just about cutting your hair off; going natural is a life style. You have to treat your hair totally different than when you relaxed it. Since the inception of Madam C.J. Walkers Relaxer black woman have taught their daughters how to damage and stripe their hair in order to adhere to a certain standard of beauty.

“But Natural hair is hard to manage and do! It’s just easier to do relaxed hair.”
This is true, but it is it healthier? We have sacrificed hair health for easy-to-do damaged hair! There is no disputing that relaxing your hair is damaging, it just is, but we don’t have to any longer.

 Everywhere I look I see another woman who has gone natural. Whether they have been natural for 6 months or 6 years there’s always one question that women ask, “What do you use on your hair?” It boggles my mind that no matter how long a woman has been natural they are always looking for a good product to use on their hair. I am then reminded that advertisers on mainstream TV don’t tell us how to take care of natural hair, just how to straighten it. I am seeing an increase in commercials with black women with natural hair, and now more and more product lines have added natural products to their production. Black women with non-processed hair is on the rise and I want to use this blog as a way to spread what knowledge I gain so that way we can teach our young children how to take care of their hair without adding a harsh chemical to it that weakens and damages it.

Thanks for reading and I hope that you find future posts helpful!

Disclaimer: This blog is, in no way, meant to put down, discriminate, or judge women who choose to relax their hair. The things said here are meant to support and uplift women who are thinking about, going through transition, or are trying to deal with their natural hair. When you think about it as a life style it’s a lot easier to manage!