Natural Hair vs. Real Hair vs. Fake Hair

If your hair is relaxer-free but you wear it straight, by pressing or flat-ironing it, is your hair natural?? Are you "liberated" in the sense of having natural hair as opposed to relaxed hair?? This issue was presented on the Tyra Show today (thanks to Sierra of Pretty Natural Divas for the info).

In my opinion...I think if you are relaxer-free then you are LIBERATED. Period. That's really the whole point. Your hair is free of relaxer and other chemicals so it is in it's natural state. Applying heat to the hair to straighten it may be damaging, but I don't believe it changes or breaks the chemical bonds in the hair, thus the hair is still natural. Before I got a relaxer, I would press my hair consistently but I never once thought it wasn't natural. To me, it was just the styling of it and I could go back to my curly hair whenever I wanted. The discussion of "real" hair vs. "natural" hair, I think, should focus on hair growing out of your scalp vs. extensions/weave tracks/wigs that are used for your hair.

I WON!!! AND I Will Be Featured on the Pretty Natural Divas Blog!

1) Tell us a little about yourself!

Hello! I am 32 years old, happily married for nearly nine years and have two beautiful little girls. You could say that I’m a Cali Southern Girl, as I am “All The Way L.A.” (Los Angeles), while I call New Orleans my second home. I have been teaching in Early Childhood Education and Primary Elementary for nearly 11 years. One of my favorite things to do is read and I am especially interested in Black History, but I also dabble in a little Sci-Fi and Romantic Novels. I also enjoy spending time with my family, traveling to New Orleans every summer, and my newest interest is…NATURAL HAIR!

2) What made you enter into the Facebook Fan Photo Contest?

I came upon your YouTube channel while searching the latest natural hair vlogs. After I watched all of your videos and eventually made it to your blog, I was really intrigued by what you ladies are doing. I wanted to become more connected to ladies in the natural hair world and I figured entering the Fan Photo Contest would be a great way to do it! Being a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., I was also excited about your collaboration (AKA and DST) and just interested in seeing you ladies be successful. Supporting your contest was a great way to support your efforts in general. Lastly, I really thought I could win! Lol..not that I knew whom I’d be up against (and trust me, I was really nervous when I saw my competition…her hair was awesome!). But I really liked my wash-n-go on the day after my BC so I thought I’d give it a shot!

3) What made you go natural and how long have you been Natural? Did you transition or BC?

I had been natural the majority of my life. The real question is what made me go straight! Seriously though, my story may not be like many women’s stories. I did not get a relaxer until I was in high school I think, but even then I’m not too sure. I remember wanting straight hair when I was little and once asked my Mother to give me a “Curl-Free.” I don’t know what brand she used but it was not successful. My hair was just as curly as ever! Even after I got my first relaxer, I did not get regular touch-ups and eventually my hair grew out. At that time, I would regularly straighten my hair with a pressing comb, so as the relaxer grew out, I did not struggle with having to deal with the two textures. In 2002, I decided to get my hair cut into a bob. I wanted to have bone-straight, frizz-free hair in order to maintain the style and I relaxed my hair again. This time I continued to get touch-ups until I was ready to grow my hair out again. After growing it out again, I cut another angled bob and got another relaxer in 2006. I kept my hair relaxed and short for another 2 years until I decided that I had enough of the relaxer. My hair had become damaged with split ends and was falling out! One day, I started asking around about ways to strip a relaxer from your hair. I quickly found out that it was impossible to do, although I gave it a valiant effort, using eggs and mayonnaise, and Head and Shoulders. My research also lead me to the YouTube Natural Hair Community, which I previously had no idea even existed. I began to watch videos about natural hair (RusticBeauty, Richeau, CurlyChronicles, Str8Isis) and was blown away! I had never before considered natural hair being such a big deal since it just came “natural” to me throughout my life. But I learned a great deal from these ladies about good hair care, and was exposed to the “Big Chop” in other videos as well. I would never in a million years have considered doing the Big Chop before watching YouTube videos. Nevertheless, I was heavily influenced by what I had been seeing and learning. I ended up transitioning for a year and did the Big Chop on Sept 26, 2009.

4) What products do you currently use?

I am a product junkie. Let me say that again: “Hello, my name is Annick and I AM A PRODUCT JUNKIE!” The group responds: “Hi Annick.” Lol! I have tried so many product lines: Qhemet Biologics, Carol’s Daughter, Karen’s Body Beautiful, Shea Moisture, Darcy’s Botanicals, Mixed Chicks, Curls, Afroveda, Giovanni, Burt Bees, Aubrey Organics, Taliah Waajid, Marc Anthony, Jasons…among others! Lately, for wash-n-gos, I’ve been using the new Shea Moisture line found at Target (Shea Moisture Coconut Hibiscus Curl & Style Milk/Cream and the Deep Penetrating Shea Butter Moisturizer). For braids/braid outs or twists/twist-outs I’ve been using my own Shea Butter mix and Giovanni Direct Leave-in conditioner. Every now and then, when I get the urge to do something different, I’ll use the various lines: Qhemet or Karen’s, when I really need moisture and I’m doing a ponytail or other protective style; or Mixed Chicks with Extra Virgin Olive Oil for a wash-n-go, for example.

5) What tips do you have for transitioners? What do you have to say to Natural newbies?

For transitioners: Try to do better than I did and “Keep it Simple!” Find products that focus on these four areas—moisture, protein, sealant and styling. You especially need to keep your hair moisturized at the line of demarcation, which is the place where your relaxed hair meets your new-growth. Keep your hair in protective styles (ponytails, buns, corn-rows, twists, braids, etc.) so as to decrease the amount and frequency of manipulation. The more you manipulate your hair, the easier it is for it to break off and become damaged or to worsen damage. If you plan on doing the Big Chop, WRITE DOWN a plan of action to follow after your hair has been cut. I literally went into shock after I cut my hair and forgot about everything I had researched. I got myself back on track by writing down what I wanted to do and needed to focus on to take care of my hair and was fine after doing that. Lastly, DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH to become truly knowledgeable about the appropriate ways to take care of YOUR hair!

For Natural Newbies: Same as above! AND, while you have a Teeny Weeny Afro (TWA), be sure to use a leave-in for moisture and seal it with an oil like Olive Oil or Coconut Oil. Coconut Oil is the only oil that effectively penetrates your hair strands so I highly recommend it. I also like to use Jojoba Oil since it is the closest match to the natural sebum that comes form the scalp. Be sure to balance protein and moisture in your hair so that your hair does not break from being too dry and brittle, or overly moisturized and mushy.

6) If there’s anything else you want to share, please do!

In my story detailing why I went natural, I forgot one of the most important reasons: my daughter. How could I forget about her!?! My oldest daughter is 6 years old. When she was 3, she began to express a dislike with her hair, always wanting it to be longer and straight like the Disney Princesses (pre-Princess Tiana) she so loved to watch, and even her school friends who were of different nationalities and had long straight hair. It has been a difficult struggle trying to instill in her a sense of pride in her own beautiful qualities, which include her hair. Since then, I have been working diligently to build her self-esteem by telling her she is beautiful everyday, and just the way God made her! She was truly my main motivation to get rid of the relaxer and embrace the natural me once again. I figured it would be hypocritical of me to simply “tell” her that her naturally curly hair was beautiful in it’s own right without being able to set the example of having pride in my own hair in it’s natural state. Once I did the Big Chop, I could tell her…“See, your hair is curly just like mine and it’s beautiful!” and really mean it! It’s still a work in progress, however. Still, there are many times when she chooses the Caucasian or Asian girl with long straight hair on TV who she wants to “be” instead of the Black girl with natural hair. But I choose the girl with the natural hair EVERY TIME and I hope one day she will come to do the same. Or 9 out 10 times….I’ll take that. ;-)

You can find me on YouTube at: anniegracie101, or at my newly created blog: http://anniegracie101.blogspot.com/

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my natural hair experiences!

I'm Into it Deep Now...

Today I entered a contest for natural hair. The contest is being held by a couple of wonderful young ladies on their blog, Pretty Natural Divas (PND). I came upon PND while surfing new natural hair videos on YouTube and am really glad I did! In PND I found a certain excitement for natural hair and healthy living in general, which I hadn't come across in a long time. The founders of PND, Jameka and Sierra are awesome! In all of their YouTube videos and blogs, you find two women who are extremely positive, creative, and excited not just about hair, but life! And that is really refreshing to see.

On a side-note: I guess some might say this is ironic (I don't), but Jameka is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc and Sierra is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc (OO-OOP!), two powerful and influential public service organizations for predominantly Black women. Traditionally, members of the two organizations have been considered bitter rivals, so to see the coalition between Jameka and Sierra leaves some people taken aback. I, however, think it's GREAT, and we need to see more of it!

Anywho, I've been watching their videos and reading their blog, and decided to enter a contest in which I had to submit a picture of my hair in it's natural state and tell what products were used and how the look was achieved. The photo was submitted in a survey with one other contestant's photo. People can now vote for whichever style they like the best! What fun! It was really easy too. I just chose the picture I took on the day after my Big Chop and "wah-lah"! Done!

I sent messages to my peeps asking them to PLLLEEEAAASSSEE vote for me and received many good responses. But one of my friends responded to my text by saying, "...how the heck [did] u get into this[?]" This kind of caught me by surprise and made be really stop to think about what I'm doing...what I'm into now. Ever since I did my Big Chop, my newest obsession has been my hair. I often wonder "Why? Why now when never before?" This is not my first time being natural, and by that I mean having my hair in it's natural state (no perm, relaxer, dyes, etc.). I've actually been natural for the majority of my life. So what's so different this time?

What I've found to be different this time has to do with social networking. YouTube, Facebook, Blogging, Natural Hair Care Forums. All of these avenues have been opened to me: to read about other "Naturals" experiences, to view their videos and read their blogs. And now...to have my OWN videos and blog. It's, damn right, EXCITING! I never knew about this world of "Naturals" before finding it on YouTube. And I love it! I love doing research, I love watching the videos, reading the blogs, making videos and now blogging. It gives me something to be a part of, sort of like a revolution. I feel proud to be having the same experiences as so many other Black women and now having the avenues to channel that energy into something positive.

So yes...I'm into it deep now! I'm entering contests, I'm taking pictures, I'm joining Forums, I'm shopping for products, and I'm documenting my progress and my experiences with my natural hair. I'm loving every moment being a "Natural" and part of this Natural Hair Community. When my friend asked me how the heck I got into this, my response was just to laugh out loud, to not really commit any specific answer to her. But what I should have said was..."I got rid of my relaxer and cut off my hair."

The rest is herstory...

To vote, please visit this link:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7Q3DYHH

Thanks!!

Washing My Hair at 1 AM...and I decided to create a blog about it!

What would make me stop to create this blog at 1:34 AM on a Monday morning? The same thing that caused me to get out of bed and wash my hair at 1:00 AM... hair products gone wrong! I was so excited to finally take the leap and make that purchase, had been thinking, "These are the [natural] products that are going to do it all!" I spent $65 (including shipping) and couldn't wait for my package to arrive so that I could get started on "making it happen" for my hair. But this morning is not my first attempt at making it happen with these products. Oh no...my first attempt ended in the same exact way--washing my hair! So let me take you back to that fateful day 1.

The products arrived and I was so excited to wash my hair and get started. I received a free shampoo bar with my order so...why not start there? Step 1: I washed my hair with the bar, never having used a shampoo bar before. It felt great! The bar was very moisturizing and left my hair feeling clean without feeling overly stripped. Step 2: It was time to prepare my scalp before styling. The package included a free, 1 oz sample of hair oil, which promises to nurture the scalp and encourage hair growth. I transferred the oil into an applicator bottle and began to apply. Now I'm thinking, "Whoa...this stuff smells strong. Maybe I should use my fingers to spread it evenly and massage it in." My head begins to spin. I hold on to the sink because all of a sudden I feel like I'm going to pass out. But I continue on applying the next product. Step 3: I began sectioning my hair and applying the hair moisturizer, raking it through with my fingers. Now my head is really spinning and I'm getting sick to my stomach. I'm thinking, "Let me hurry up and finish applying these products so I can get some food and sit down a while. Maybe that will help me feel better." Step 4: After applying the moisturizer all over my hair, I proceeded to the last step, applying the styling cream. I quickly took scoops and raked it all over my hair, desperately trying to keep it together to avoid getting sick at the toilet.

With the application complete, I'm doing everything I can think of to help myself feel better. I pop open a Sierra Mist and eat a piece of bread, hoping this will help to settle my stomach. I lay down, I sit up. I'm steadily getting sicker and sicker. My head is spinning...I've got to wash this stuff out! Dreading the fact that I'm about to waste all of these products by washing them down the drain, I realize that I have no other choice. To the sink I go. First I washed my hair with the shampoo bar, but I thought better of this and decided to wash again with my organic shampoo. With everything washed out, I apply some of my regular hair products just to keep my hair under control. At this point I'm barely making it. I can barely stand up for being so sick and dizzy. I'm practically crawling on the floor to my cell phone, which I use to call for help (yes, it became THIS serious!). I called my mother to come over immediately to help me. I had recently had my baby and I was so sick I couldn't even hold and rock her as she cried with sleepiness.

My mother arrived about 15 minutes later (while she was on her way I called twice to see if she had left yet...I was desperate I tell you!), with saltine crackers and chicken noodle soup. What a mom! She knew exactly what was needed to get me back together again. As I lay on the floor, shoving crackers in my mouth, Mama picked up the baby and, thankfully, rocked her to sleep. I had even called my sister to come and help me hoping that one or the other would get here faster. Within an hour's time, I was eating soup and feeling much better. I was able to be vertical again, and that was saying a lot!

Why I didn't throw away these "make it happen" products at once is a mystery. After all I had gone through, I still decided to save them and try it again later. Which brings me to this morning. Two weeks later, I decided it was time to try out at least ONE of the products again. Maybe I had just gotten the flu or something and it really wasn't the products that caused all of that madness. So I washed my hair with my regular organic shampoo and conditioner and decided to apply only one product. I used the moisturizer and braided my hair in six sections. So far so good. My hair dried overnight and the braids were taken down for a Mother's Day braid-out. The style looked cute after I fluffed and pulled and fluffed. The curls were defined in most of my hair, but the stubborn crown area got frizzy (as usual). I was able to wear my hair out all day without any problem...maybe I'll be able to keep these products after all.

Then I get to about 12:45 AM. My scalp began to itch, only a little bit at first. I started scratching my hairline around my temple area, then behind my ears. At first I thought it was my satin bonnet causing all the ruckus until those areas began to burn a bit. Now I'm thinking..."Uh oh...what's going on here?" So I got out of bed and went to look at my hair in the mirror. Oh my goodness! My scalp looks fiery red (and I'm a brown skinned girl!). What's going on now?? Itching, itching. Burning, burning. I think I better wash this stuff out of my hair. Foiled again! It's 1 AM and I'm in the shower using the most regular shampoo and conditioner I could find (Pantene), just to get totally away from the natural stuff for a minute and get my scalp and hair back under control!

It's 1:34 AM and I've just gotten out of the shower. I washed my hair and left in the conditioner, detangled and put my hair in two ponytails with buns on the end. I'm back in my bed and realizing that I wasted my money. The gig is up. I will not use any of those products again. Maybe it's time for me blog about this...to start that blog that my sister has been encouraging me to do. Its 2:15 AM and I've done two things: 1) Learned a great, big ole lesson on the importance of being careful with hair products--you can't use everything in your hair just because it's "natural" and 2) Written my first blog entry.

Good Night.