Back in action

Sorry about the absence... So far my hair is really growing nicely; I have about 1inch of new growth, but stretched out its really about 2inches! I have a mixture of wavy in the top front and very tightly coiled hair in the back and behind my ears especially. I never blow dry my hair now, I just let it air dry. I deep condition about once or twice a month (Aubreys Organic conditioner, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Vit. E oil, & honey) and I shampoo w/ Organix shampoo (walmart or target). Im wearing my hair curly most of the time but once a month I will straighten it ( just to switch it up a bit). Im staying away from oil sheen sprays, hairsprays, gels...etc. pretty much all of the hair products I used to use because they contain a lot of not so hair friendly ingredients.

So far so good

Ok so its been about a week of no hot tools or chemicals in my hair and its been easier than I thought. Actually I cheated a bit and used a small barrel curling iron on my edges in the front so it didn't have a matted look from sleeping on it, but that's it. I've worn my hair in a high pony with tight and loose curls. At night I wrap a scarf around my hairline nice a snug then loosely wrap a larger scarf around the rest of my hair, which I pull up in a bun on the top of my head. I tried doing little twisties in the front on my hair (where my bangs are) so when I take it out in the morning, my hair has a lil twisty/curly action going on. I also spray a little of my leave in conditioner mixture (water + olive oil + vitamin e oil) in my hair, especially on the ends. My hair is still very soft, I'm having less breakage and Ive noticed I don't have any DDs! ;) Since I shampooed my hair last weekend Ill probably no-poo tonight and retwist my hair. I think I'm going to shampoo bi-weekly and see if that works for me.

What's your hair type?

Type 4

According to Andre Walker (Oprahs hairstylist), if your hair falls into the Type 4 category, then it is kinky, or very tightly curled. Generally, Type 4 hair is very wiry, very tightly coiled and very fragile. Similar to Type 3 hair, Type 4 hair appears to be coarse, but it is actually quite fine, with lots and lots of these strands densely packed together. Type 4 hair that is healthy won't shine, but it will have sheen. It will be soft to the touch and will pass the strand test with ease. It will feel more silky than it will look shiny. Oprah is a Type 4. Type 4 hairs looks tough and durable, but looks can be deceiving. If you have Type 4 hair, you already know that it is the most fragile hair around. There are two subtypes of Type 4 hair: Type 4A, tightly coiled hair that, when stretched, has an "S" pattern, much like curly hair; and Type 4B, which has a "Z" pattern, less of a defined curl pattern (instead of curling or coiling, the hair bends in sharp angles like the letter "Z"). Type 4A tends to have more moisture than Type 4B, which will have a wiry texture.

4B

4A

Type 3

When this type of hair is wet, it appears to be pretty straight. As it dries, the hair goes back to its curly state. When curly hair is wet, is usually straightens out. As it dries, it absorbs the water and contracts to its curliest state. Humidity tends to make this type of curly hair even curlier, or even frizzier. Type 3 hair has a lot of body and is easily styled in its natural state, or it can be easily straightened with a blow-dryer into a smoother style. Healthy Type 3 hair is shiny, with soft, smooth curls and strong elasticity. The curls are well-defined and springy. Andre defines two subtypes of curly hair. First, there is type 3A hair which is very loosely curled and usually very shiny with big curls. The shorter the hair is, the straighter it gets. The longer the hair is the more defined the curl. Then, there is type 3B hair which has a medium amount of curl to tight corkscrews. It's not unusual to see a mixture of these types existing on the same head. Curly hair usually consists of a combination of textures, with the crown being the curliest part. Lastly there is a type 3C, is hair type that is not in Andre Walker’s book, but many people suggest that it should be. This type of hair can be described as tight curls in corkscrews. The curls can be either kinky, or very tightly curled, with lots and lots of strands densely packed together.

3C

3B
3A

Type 2

A relatively unusual type, wavy hair tends to be coarse, with a definite "S" pattern to it. There are three Type 2 subtypes: A – fine /thin, B -medium-textured, and C - thick and coarse. Type 2A is very easy to handle, blowing out into a straighter style or taking on curlier looks with relative ease. Types 2B and 2C are a little more resistant to styling and have a tendency to frizz.

2C

2B

2A

Type 1

Is straight hair, which has doesn’t have any type of wave of curl pattern.

1

History of Black Hair

1444: Europeans trade on the west coast of Africa with people wearing elaborate hairstyles including locks, plaits and twists.

1619: First slaves brought to Jamestown; African language, culture and grooming tradition begin to disappear.

1700s: Calling black hair "wool," many whites dehumanize slaves. The more elaborate African hairstyles cannot be retained.

1800s: Without the combs and herbal treatments used in Africa, slaves rely on bacon grease, butter and kerosene as hair conditioners and cleaners. Lighter-skinned, straight-haired slaves command higher prices at auction than darker, more kinky-haired ones. Internalizing color consciousness, blacks promote the idea that blacks with dark skin and kinky hair are less attractive and worth less.

1865: Slavery ends, but whites look upon black women who style their hair like white women as well-adjusted. "Good" hair becomes a prerequisite for entering certain schools, churches, social groups and business networks.

1880: Metal hot combs, invented in 1845 by the French, are readily available in the United States. The comb is heated and used to press and temporarily straighten kinky hair.

1900s: Madame C.J. Walker develops a range of hair care products for black hair. She popularizes the press and curl style. Some criticize her for encouraging black women to look white.

1910: Walker is featured in the Guinness Book of Records as the first American woman, self-made millionaire.

1920s: Marcus Garvey, a black nationalist, urges followers to embrace their natural hair and reclaim an African aesthetic.

1954: George E. Johnson launches the Johnson Products Empire with Ultra Wave Hair Culture, a "permanent" hair straightener for men that can be applied at home. A women's chemical straightener follows.

1962: Actress Cicely Tyson wears cornrows on the television drama "East Side/West Side."

1966: Model Pat Evans defies both black and white standards of beauty and shaves her head.

1968: Actress Diahann Carroll is the first black woman to star in a television network series, "Julia." She is a darker version of the all-American girl with straightened, curled hair.

1970: Angela Davis becomes an icon of Black Power with her large Afro.

1971: Melba Tolliver is fired from the ABC affiliate in New York for wearing an Afro while covering Tricia Nixon's wedding.

1977: The Jheri curl explodes on the black hair scene. Billed as a curly perm for blacks, the ultra moist hairstyle lasts through the 1980s.

1979: Braids and beads cross the color line when Bo Derek appears with cornrows in the movie "10."

1980: Model-actress Grace Jones sports her trademark flat top fade.

1988: Spike Lee exposes the good hair/bad hair light-skinned/dark-skinned schism in black America in his movie "School Daze."

1990: "Sisters love the weave," Essence magazine declares. A variety of natural styles and locks also become more accepted.

1997: Singer Erykah Badu poses on the cover of her debut album "Baduizm" with her head wrapped, ushering in an eclectic brand of Afrocentrism.

1998: Carson Inc., creator of Dark & Lovely and Magic Shave for black men, acquires black-owned beauty company Johnson Products of Chicago in 1998. L'Oreal purchases Carson two years later and merges it with Soft Sheen.

1999: People magazine names lock-topped Grammy award-winning artist Lauryn Hill one of its 50 Most Beautiful People.

2001: Rapper Lil' Kim wears a platinum blonde weave, while singer Macy Gray sports a new school Afro. Some black women perm, some press, others go with natural twists, braids and locks.

2006: Black hair care is a billion-dollar industry.

Queens: Portraits of Black Women and Their Fabulous Hair by George Alexander & Michael Cunningham

Cute N' Curly Fro

I just thought her hair was really cute. If this is her natural curl, Id say he hair type is about a 3B. We will discuss hair types later! ;)

Processed Hair at its Best!

My BFF Felicia has always had gr8 hair, and shes found a hair regime that works perfect for her ATDT, as you can see. In this pic. her hair has a slight curl but so it looks a little shorter than it really is. If you take really good care of your permed hair then it will grow long and healthy. Maybe she can give those of you who choose to keep a perm some tips on how to maintain healthy hair!

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)

Both Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) and its close relative Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) are commonly used in many soaps, 95% of shampoos, detergents, toothpastes and other products that we expect to "foam up". Both chemicals are very effective foaming agents, chemically known as surfactants.
Unfortunately, both sodium laureth sulfate and its cousin are also very dangerous, highly irritating chemicals. Far from giving "healthy shining hair" and "beautiful skin", soaps and shampoos containing sodium laureth sulfate can lead to direct damage to the hair follicle, skin damage, permanent eye damage in children and even liver toxicity.

Combs, Brushes etc.

These are the tools that are replacing my hot comb, straightener, blow dryer etc. Ive dwindled it down to some pretty basic stuff! So I have a shower comb, Denman Brush, duck bill clippies, rollers, and straws all purchased at Sally's Beauty Supply.

Products & Deep Treatment

(left to right) Organic Honey, Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), Organic Hemp Oil, Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner, Organix Shea Butter Shampoo, Herbal Essence Hello Hydration Conditioner, Vitamin E Oil, and last but not least, water!

Deep Treatment (DT) I did plenty of research on different vitamins, oils, foods, etc. and how they effect the hair. So I wanted to start with something simple, most of which I already had in the kitchen. Give my mixture a shot and see if it works for you. My hair has never felt softer!

1. Prep your DT mixture. These are approximate measurements because I just poured everything on my head.

1 cup Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner(Whole Foods Nugget Market)

2/3 cup Hemp Oil (Whole Foods Nugget Market)

2/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) (Walmart)

2 Tablespoons Honey

1 Tablespoon Vitamin E (Whole Foods Nugget Market)

2. Wash your hair in the shower. Washing your hair in the shower as opposed to washing in the sink allows your hair to flow down your back, instead of a tangly mess on the top of your head. I used Organix Shea Butter Shampoo. (Target)

3. Condition with 'cheapie conditioner'. I used the Herbal Essence Hello Hydration for this. While the conditioner is in your hair, use your shower comb to comb out any tangles. (Remember to start from the ends of your hair and work your way up to the scalp!) The conditioner will act as a "slicker", to give your hair some slip so the comb will glide right through your hair. Rinse out the conditioner, don't worry about getting it all out because the Deep Treatment is next!

4. While in shower go ahead and start your DT. Gently wring out excess water from your hair then apply your DT mixture, gently massage it in your hair. The warm steam from the shower will help the products to absorb into your hair, and it smells great too! Finish your "shower business". Remember to get that booty! lol

5. Put on a plastic cap. Then wrap a towel around it to trap in the heat from your head. Leave it on for an hour.

6. Rinse hair in the shower. I know I know, AGAIN...yes! you have to get back in to rinse out the DT, while your hair is falling naturally, remember! You've already conditioned and combed it out, so why flip it back over your head and have to comb through it again, creating mo' damage?! Anyways, when your done, get out and gently towel dry your hair.

7. Apply some conditioner. I used the Herbal Essence Hello Hydration, EVOO and a lil Vitamin E. Just massage it all through your hair, especially the ends.

8. Air Dry Hair. Heat damages hair right? So with that being said don't use your hair dryer, if your must, rub your hair, especially the ends with EVOO and vit. E then blow dry on the lowest heat level and don't hold it too close to your head.

That's it folks! Your hair will hopefully feel as soft and manageable as mine. Let me know how your results were! Pretty simple stuff, when your hair is dry you can add more of the leave in conditioner mixture (from step #7). to keep your hair super soft.

Curly Kaseys 1st Day!

This is my first full day without using any hot tools or chemicals in my hair. The curls from last night are still nice and tight and not frizzy, we'll see how they hold up tonight with the do-rag! ;) Noapte Buna

Past Do's

Fried Died and Blowdried YET still lookin good! ATDT LOL This hairstyle took a lot of work to do but the end results were gr8! I was takin better care of the weave more than my own delicate hair... times a changin I tell you!

Hi Mom

I love you! ;)

Lets Be Free

So Ive always been a big fan of permed hair, but I recently came to the decision that its just not for me. Dont get me wrong I love the straight hair with bangs, ponytails, 1/2 up 1/2 down, all of that but it was just killin my hair. SO, Ive decided to go all natural, the way God made me to be, but I always resisted it. Now its time... who is on board with this journey to have natural, fun, free, healthy hair!