Curl Definition vs. Volume

Definition vs. Volume

I recently read an article that reminded me of a conversation that I once had with some natural friends. The subject in a nutshell was: Definition vs. Volume. Now, I have always been more a volume kind of chick myself but I find myself usually having the same conversation with new naturals: How do I get more curl definition?

The article poised the thought that our desire for perfect little ringlets is a result of conditioned thinking of what our natural hair should look like. Although I would love some Trace Ellis Ross curls showering over my face, I realize that my hair just doesn’t do that. I wonder sometimes if growing up with natural hair makes you more realistic about natural hair expectations than making the change after growing up with relaxed hair.

Transitioning from a lifetime of getting relaxers for as long as you can remember and not knowing what more than a couple months’ worth of new growth looks like can definitely make us ill prepared. Especially since most of the natural hair products and bigger natural hair icons have little spiral curls cascading all about. Even I sometimes catch curl envy.

But, how can we truly grow through our natural journey if we spend the whole time trying to get unnatural curls? Becoming a definition junkie will hinder our hair journey entirely. We become so obsessed with buying new products and smothering our hair in gels and curl creams to get a look that we are still not born with. Now, I’m not saying that we shouldn’t explore. When I’m in a super curly mood, I throw in some small three strand twists and unleash the spiral curls but most of the time, I’m just rocking my semi curly puffy fro.

Long story short; don’t get caught up in all the hype. The point of the natural hair journey is to love yourself and your hair exactly as it grows. Maybe that’s with flowy curls or semi curly puffy fro, but that is the fun in all of this, your hair is uniquely yours!

Are you all about the curls or a sucker for volume?

Christine's Big Chop

Christine’s Big Chop

Today we will be sharing the big chop of Christine a.k.a. Chicklet. Previously known for her unique lacefront collection, she is now setting new trends with her exclusive haircuts. I am so excited to share her natural journey with you guys. Enjoy!

What motivated you to go natural?

I was motivated by how badly my medicine was damaging my hair.

Before you went natural, you use to have a large variety of hairstyles that you wore. Were you afraid that you would lose options with natural hair?

Oh definitely, I was not planning on wearing my natural hair due to the fact that I was the lace front queen. I was beyond scared!

Do you still feel like you are limited?

Oh no! I found out through your help and my barber, Giddy, I actually have more choices than ever and more variety going forward as my hair grows.

You kept saying you were going to go back to your lace fronts when you were getting your hair cut, do you miss them now?

Lol, yea I did say that because I thought I would not like it when it was cut. But, slowly I began to like. It was a huge change for me!

Do you feel like you have changed as a result of letting your hair go?

In a good way, I changed my wardrobe and all, but, I’m still the same Chicklet with natural hair

What is your favorite haircut that you have gotten so far?

My favorites are the ones my barber does with designs and I use colored eye liner pencils to add a pop of color to the designs.

Do you have any hair goals?

Yea, to get through this middle stage and grow it so I can do some color, and Mohawks, it has become fun!

Do you have any favorite products yet? If so, what are they, and why?

Ummm...no favorite products yes, it’s still short. But, I use Taliah Waajid to make it curly and it works well for the middle area and love the argan oil.

Lastly, what is your advice to any nervous women that are thinking about doing the big chop?

Just take strong liquor shot and do it! I’m happy I did it; I never knew the unlimited options I had. It’s the best decision I ever made for my hair! 

Would you like to share your natural hair journey? Contact me on "Adventures With Dandelions" facebook page or send it to spokenheart_mf@aol.com!

Wicked Wednesday

Wicked Wednesday

In honor of Monday’s post about teaching our children to love themselves, this week’s Wicked Wednesday installment will feature the curly kiddies!

Enjoy!

Don't foget you can always submit your photos to be included in Wicked Wednesday by sending them to spokenheart_mf@aol.com!

Organix Product Review

Organix Product Review

Anybody that knows me knows that I am an Organix product junkie!

I have even gone so far as to call as to call the Coconut Milk line my hair soul mate.

Today I will be reviewing this amazing product line based on the experiences that I have had with the different products that I have tried.

Coconut Milk

Website description: Coconut milk and ultra whipped egg white proteins along with weightless coconut oil to hydrate and nourish your hair as gentle cleansers wash away impurities.

ShampooI really enjoyed this shampoo. This is definitely my favorite of the different lines that I have tried from Organix. I enjoyed the sudsiness of this shampoo and the amazing smell. It left my hair feeling clean but not stripped.

Conditioner

Once again, this is definitely my favorite conditioner that I have used thus far. It left my hair feeling soft and well moisturized. I honestly do not have any downfalls to using these shampoos and conditioners.

Anti Breakage Serum
 I thoroughly enjoyed the anti breakage serum. It made my hair feel very smooth and look very shiny. The only problem is that it is a little thick so it is not easy to transfer all from your hands to your hair.

Weightless Styling Mousse
This is probably the only product from the Coconut Milk line that I did not enjoy. This left my hair feeling a little stringy.

Brazilian Keratin Therapy

Website description: Transform your hair into silky smooth locks with this exclusive blend of coconut oils, keratin proteins, avocado oil and cocoa butter.

ShampooI did not enjoy this shampoo very much at all. I assumed that with this nice blend of ingredients that this would be to die for, I know I should have known that it wasn’t going to be the best due to it being for Keratin Therapy. But, I do recommend for anyone that does use the Keratin in their hair.

Conditioner
I did find this conditioner to be useful in helping with shrinkage. I do not like to use it alone, but I typically mix it with some of my Coconut Milk conditioner and it really helps with stretching my hair and leaves it feeling great!

Macadamia Oil

Website description: Drench your strands in an ultra-moisturizing luxurious formula infused with nutrient rich macadamia oil to instantly hydrate and smooth parched, dry hair while exotic sugar cane extract and bamboo extract soften and mend split ends for a luscious, vibrant mane with brilliant shine

Sn: You know you natural when you receive hair products in your stocking. (that is how I met Macadamia Oil from Organix)

ShampooI enjoyed this product almost as much as I enjoyed the Coconut Milk line. I definitely found all of the benefits it boasted in the description to be true. It left my hair smelling and feeling great.

Conditioner
The conditioner was just as wonderful, if not better, than the shampoo.

Biotin & Collagen

Website description: A high performance blend of powerful ProVitamin B7 biotin infuses nutrients into every strand, while plumping collagen adds volume and dimension, and hydrolyzed wheat proteins strengthen, for thicker, fuller, healthier looking hair

ShampooThis had to be the most disappointing product that I have tried from this line. I was looking for something to strengthen my hair and after a bad experience with taking biotin pills; I figured that this shampoo would be the perfect alternative. It left my hair feeling stripped and maybe even weaker than before I used it.

ConditionerI also did not enjoy my experience with this conditioner. Although it smells heavenly, it left my hair feeling stringy and tangled. This quickly became shaving cream.

Please note, that depending on your hair type, you may love some of the products that I did not enjoy. I did try the Teatree Mint shampoo and conditioner once, from a friend, but not enough times to write a fair review.

These products are a bit expensive, in my opinion, but typically you can catch them on sale somewhere. Walmart, Walgreens and CVS typically take turns with either buy on get one or 5.99 each. But, since these are pratically the only products that I use in my hair anymore, I think they are defnitely worth it.

My hair does not respond well to argan oil so despite how bad I wanted to try their argan products, I declined. But, if you have tried them or any of the other lines that I haven’t gotten my hands on, feel free to share your experience with us. Or if you have tried any of these and gotten a different result, then please share that as well!

Wicked Wednesday: Afros for Breast

Wicked Wednesday: Afros for Breast

Did you know that African American women leading cause of death is lung cancer? Or that the second highest cause of death is breast cancer? According to research, there will be 27,060 new discoveries of breast cancer in African American in this year alone and 6,080 African American women are expected to die from it.

While we do not have the highest rate amongst all races, we do have a pretty high rate for women under 45 and a mortality rate that is 41% higher than our Anglo Saxon counterpart.

African American Men are just as vulnerable to this disease as African American women. It is important that we recognize that this is not a gender based disease.

While we have improved on our screening rates, this is still a cause that we need to educate ourselves on. Education must go much deeper than pink ribbons and walks. We must learn about our genetic history and the signs to look out for. We must do regular checks and learn ourselves so that we will be able to catch any early signs. We must also encourage each other to become aware!

July is Breast Cancer Awareness month.

In today’s Wicked Wednesday we will be honoring naturals who have fought Breast Cancer.

Minnie Ripperton

Richard Roundtree

Marsha Hunt

Ernie Green

Audre Lorde

Edward Brooke

Wanda Sykes

http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/Statistics.html#AfricanAmerican

http://www.breastcancer.org/research-news/20070406b

Bass Ackwards Compliments

Bass Ackwards Compliments

Don’t you hate when people start staring at your hair and saying those things that are meant to make you feel good but leave your face twitched and your hands itching?

There is nothing more annoying than the ignorant, backwards natural hair compliment. Well, honestly, any backwards compliment is nerve grinding. But, of all the backwards compliments that one can give me, it is the natural hair ones that get me riled up the most.

So let’s make a list of these backwards compliments and the real responses that we want to give:

·         Do you have a texturizer?

o    No! I have curly hair, as hard as it is to believe, natural hair is not the equivalent of a used rug and if you pulled your head out of your stereotypes then you would be able to see that natural hair is curls!

·         I can’t believe how soft it is!

o    I can’t believe how ignorant you are! (lol) But seriously, don’t you get tired of people acting like afro is a synonym of pot scrapers.

·         I always thought dreds were so dirty?!

o    Did you think that people became allergic to shampoo after locing their hair?

·         Your hair would look so good straightened!

o    But, not as good as it does natural!

·         My daughter/son is mixed; I wish she/he had hair more like yours…

o    Stop reproducing for vain looks, just because you like my hair like doesn’t mean that your kid would like my hair like this! Teach them to love themselves how they appear.

·         Are you from the islands?

o    As if, a regular black woman from Florida couldn’t wear her hair with pride?

·         I wish that I didn’t have to do anything to my hair, like you.

o    (This one makes me want to throw on my exorcist voice and start spinning my head. Okay that was a bit dramatic, but seriously!) What I want to say is: Please don’t confuse this effortless look for ease! It takes a lot of work to wear twist outs, keeping our hair shiny and looking longer than 2 inches after retaining length for the past 3 years!

I know, some people are thinking well zayumn, “what can I say about her hair?” It’s simple, if you like it, say so. Even if it you are surprised that it is so soft you can say that; because I do a lot of work to keep it soft and shiny! But don’t say it like black hair is a curse that I somehow managed to get lucky enough to escape from. Don’t say it like it my hair used to be some myth that you just disproved. Don’t say it like my hair is almost good enough for you. Give me a compliment like you would give any other person a compliment or keep your half hearted words to yourself!

What are the bass ackwards hair compliments that kink your curls?

Day 1 of 365 Challenge

Day 1

Day 1: hopes, dreams and plans with a picture of yourself.

My aspirations for the next year of my life will be to get started on my book club, open mic and finish editing my novel and submit it to more publishing companies.

I plan to continue to commit myself to improving myself as a poet and growing as an artist in general.

I will finish and publish my second poetry book this year.

I will try and make myself more open to those around me and not let my fears dictate my social or personal life.

I will continue to dream and promote myself into financial independence.

I hope to continue to grow as a natural hair advocate and help people of color everywhere learn to love us as we are, whether natural or relaxed, and respect each other’s decisions to live our lives the way we please.

I will continue to improve both my health and my body.

I hope to be a much better me when I read this 364 days from now.

Wicked Wednesday

 

Wicked Wednesdays

This week’s Wicked Wednesday will feature poets with natural hair in honor of National Poetry Month! By far, one of my favorite months of the year thanks to 30/30. Hope you enjoy this installation of Wicked Wednesday!

Gil Scott-Heron

ANGEL DUST

He was groovin'
and that was when he coulda sworn
the room was movin'
But that was only in his mind
He was sailin'
he never really seemed to notice
vision failin'
'cause that was all part of the high
Sweat was pourin' --
he couldn't take it
The room was exploding --
he might not make it.
Angel Dust/Please, children would you listen.
Angel Dust/Just ain't where it's at.
Angel Dust/You won't remember what you're
missin', but down some dead end streets
there ain't no turnin' back.

They were standin'
ev'rybody in a circle;
the whole family
listening to the preacher's words
Sis was cryin'
She alone held all the secrets
'bout his dyin'
tears fallin' to earth
Maybe her fault
He was so trusting
God only knew why
they was dustin'!
Angel Dust/Please children would you listen.
Angel Dust/Just ain't where it's at.
Angel Dust/You won't remember what you're
missin', but down some dead end streets
there ain't no turnin' back.

Carl Phillips

Custom

There is a difference it used to make,
seeing three swans in this versus four in that
quadrant of sky. I am not imagining. It was very large, as its
effects were. Declarations of war, the timing fixed upon for a sea-departure; or,
about love, a sudden decision not to, to pretend instead to a kind
of choice. It was dramatic, as it should be. Without drama,
what is ritual? I look for omens everywhere, because they are everywhere
to be found. They come to me like strays, like the damaged,
something that could know better, and should, therefore-but does not:
a form of faith, you've said. I call it sacrifice-an instinct for it, or a habit at first, that
becomes required, the way art can become, eventually, all we have
of what was true. You shouldn't look at me like that. Like one of those saints
on whom the birds once settled freely.

Carolyn M. Rodgers

From Space to Time

on a day when
we were dark
and not so full of
light
we met
    what did we find?
nothing.
everything, when we closed
our eyes
which anyway
had never been open.

once, we thought we
loved each other
       who can reverse
    time?
we tried.
we stepped out
of space
into some new
step of distance
and fell-
and not in love.

 Ai

Conversation

We smile at each other
and I lean back against the wicker couch.
How does it feel to be dead? I say.
You touch my knees with your blue fingers.
And when you open your mouth,
a ball of yellow light falls to the floor
and burns a hole through it.
Don't tell me, I say. I don't want to hear.
Did you ever, you start,
wear a certain kind of dress
and just by accident,
so inconsequential you barely notice it,
your fingers graze that dress
and you hear the sound of a knife cutting paper,
you see it too
and you realize how that image
is simply the extension of another image,
that your own life
is a chain of words
that one day will snap.
Words, you say, young girls in a circle, holding hands,
and beginning to rise heavenward
in their confirmation dresses,
like white helium balloons,
the wreathes of flowers on their heads spinning,
and above all that,
that's where I'm floating,
and that's what it's like
only ten times clearer,
ten times more horrible.
Could anyone alive survive it?

Mari Evans

The Rebel

When I
die
I'm sure
I will have a
Big Funeral ...

Curiosity
seekers ...
coming to see
if I
am really
Dead ...
or just
trying to make
Trouble ...

Cornelius Eady

Grief Bird

After those buildings fell,
And New York City stank from bad intent,
And the wind twirled with human pigment,
And the sky darkened in one spot and howled,

There we walked, newborn, holding flashlights and shovels,
Dusty with shock, the streets painted mad,
Ears still smarting from the evil crumble.

Now the combing, the sifting,
Now the hauling, the uncovering.
The astonished song.

Would you like to be featured in Wicked Wednesday? Submit your picture to spokenheart_mf@aol.com!

A Day in the Curls of Roseiby

A Day in the Curls of Roseiby

Q: To begin with, have you ever had a relaxer?

A: When I was younger my mother would take me to get it done but it’s been a while since I did it; I would say since 2001 when I was 14.

Q: At what age did you start getting relaxers?

A: I don’t remember, I really don’t and I don’t want to be inaccurate.

Q: Why did you make the decision to stop getting relaxers?

A: It was when I was older, and at the time I just did whatever I wanted to my hair. It was always my mom’s idea to get them. At that time I didn’t mind getting them because, honestly, I hated my hair. The kids at school would call me a Chia Pet when I was younger so, I felt so much better having straight hair I remember doing it once after moving to Florida. But, when I was old enough to start doing my own thing, I did.

Q: So, it sound like you did not like getting relaxers. How did you mom feel about your decision to no longer relax your hair?

A: My mom didn’t really care like, she wasn’t mad. I had heard that relaxers were bad for my hair so I didn’t want to do it anymore and people were always telling me I had "good hair" so I didn’t feel like I needed to do it anyway.

Q: Would you say that the decision to no longer relax your hair affected your attitude or view towards yourself or others in anyway? Or were you too young then for it to really effect you?

A: I just wanted to have long hair so when I heard that relaxers were "bad" I just stopped. But, after I stopped relaxing my hair I just wore it in a pony and didn’t really take care of it or even wore it in a poof for a long time.

Q: What about now? Do you feel that you have learned to manage your natural hair better as time went on?

A: I’m still learning. I kind of walked into my poofiness by accident. One time I washed it and didn’t do anything to it, just wore it down, and I got so many compliments on my curls! I would say this was around 2005/6ish so ever since then I just been wearing it like I wear it now; pretty much get up & go. It wasn’t until lately after talking to you and other naturalistas that I learned  about hair products that would help my puff become even greater so, I’m still learning and my poof is still a work in progress.

Q: Do you miss relaxers or do you think that you will ever go back to relaxers?

A: Hell to the nah, I will never go back to relaxers again! I don’t even trust keratin treatments, which have been suggested to me so many times.

Q: If you have a daughter, do you think that you will relax her hair?

A: NO, lol.  My friend asked me that the other day, I want my baby to have healthy hair and if it’s not curly like mine, I’ll just find other ways to take care of it. I really just don’t believe in relaxers anymore.

(Roseiby's imaginary daughter, lol)

Q: What is your favorite product to use in your hair?

A: I just recently bought a Shea Moisture Curl Smoothie for my hair which is really awesome and makes my hair smell really good.

Q: What is your signature hair style?

A: I like wearing my hair with a side part and creating like a side bang.

Q: What is your favorite thing about your hair now?

A: I love how it always sticks out, no matter where I go and it’s so soft.

Q: What is your guilty hair pleasure (something you do to your hair even though you know it is not necessarily good fort it)?

A: Sometimes, I flat iron it when I want to take a break from the curl world.

Q: What advice would you give little curlies who are insecure about their curls due to bullying?

A: I would say they’re just jealous. Not everyone is blessed to have crazy beautiful hair so embrace it! It used to hurt my feelings when the kids at school called me a Chia Pet, now I’ll take that and be proud! My big hair is definitely something I’m proud of & I hope to make it even bigger....take that Chia Pet!

Would you like to share your curl journey? Contact me at spokenheart_mf@aol.com and share your natural pride with the world!