The "Professional" Fro......

Just read an interesting article in Black Enterprise about the professionalism of wearing your hair natural (this includes locs) or not. This debate is often talked about if you visit blogs or natural hair pages on facebook. You see questions posted asking..."I'm going in for an interview tomorrow, should I straighten my hair?". Some people have accused upper-management of excluding them because of their hair or being assumed to be the "angry, revolutionary negro". I believe this argument can be assessed two different ways. Are we questioning what other races think of our hair or are we questioning each other about the decisions to wear "big" hair to work? If you take a look back at the history of our hair (which is so complicated and should be tackled in a posting of its own) it has been a symbol of African American history since before slavery. During the 60's we were "black and proud" and promoted "power to the people" and our hair was a symbol of going against the norm. We felt it showed our pride by not conforming to the European standards of beauty. Our hair represented anti-establishment, anti-conformity, and anti-government. But are we harder on ourselves than others? In the article, Marcia Talbert states:

"Unfortunately, in my opinion, that sentiment still exists, although I do believe that fewer Whites and more Blacks actually believe it to be true. If you haven’t noticed recently, Black women with kinky hair dominate the same commercials that are cast by all White ad agencies (that is the only time you’ll hear me giving Madison Avenue props). It’s mostly Blacks, not Whites who have internalized the hype from 100 years earlier and who just won’t let it go."

So are we victims of institutionalized racism? Are we quicker to judge each other? In general, people assume things about a person based on their hair. While watching an episode of The Today Show, managers were asked to pick the woman that seemed more professional. The mostly chose the woman with straight, brunette hair. It was presumed that the woman with wild, curly hair was unorganized, loud and unprofessional. Fair?...no, but that does not mean that it does not exist. But some of the adjectives used to describe women with afros or locs were demanding, aggressive and hard to manage. These sentiments were not only shown by managers of other races, but by our own. So not only do we have to deal with stereotyping outside of our culture, but also with each other.

Here is a link to the article: http://www.blackenterprise.com/2011/02/22/natural-hair-and-professionalism/2/

Take a look at it and tell us what you think. Does she have a valid point?

Do you suffer from HIH Syndrome???

Ok, moment of honesty...think back to the last time you felt your hair. If you have to take your hands OUT of your hair to scroll down to continue reading, then I think it's safe to say you have. AHHH yes, the HIH Syndrome. What is HIH???? Hands in Hair!!! And what natural doesn't currently suffer from this or is struggling through recovery? Many naturalitas voice their dismay over the constant.."ooh, can I touch your hair?" question from strangers, but truthfully, many of us can't keep our OWN hands our of our hair.

One thing to remember is that besides leaving pesky little oil spots on your work memo or rocking an extra shiny space bar on your laptop, your HIH syndrome can actually cause frizz and even thin spots in your hair. Constant pulling of the hair can cause thinning, and if you are constantly pulling at the same spot it can cause thinning and breakage. The crazy thing about HIH is that there are plenty of times throughtout the day that you may have your hands in your hair and not even realize it.

Any transitioner that we know has this bad.....(Jonesing...lol). It's awesome to feel the different textures growing in your hair and obsession sets in. Whether checking for new growth, thickness, or to be sure that you're really taking that next step, it's easy to long for the feeling of your gorgeous hair!!!

Don't worry, googling for a cure won't get you very far. It's only cured by good-ole will power..(ugh)! But if you need a little more assistance you may want to try wearing a wig, or putting your hair in a protective style. Flat twists or braids keep you from running your hand through your hair and a wig will keep your hair hidden from those pesky fingers of yours.

As obsessed as I can be about my hair, I have to remind myself that each strand is delicate and may need a rest. So to prevent myself from constant twisting, twirling and stroking, I guess I will try a protective style for a week...(as soon as I wipe this oil from my keys...lol)

I'm sure many of you have seen the new afro barbie that is now available. But just in case you haven't, you should check out some of the dolls they have available now. Who would have known that the natural hair revolution would have such an impact. It's awesome to know that now our little girls have dolls that look like them and acknowledge the beauty of our hair.

Shedding the light on DARK spots

Let's talk skin for a minute. After all, it is the LARGEST organ on our body so we should be careful about what we put on it. Because of it's absorbent nature, we should always be aware of the products that we put on it because these very products could 1)prevent other products from entering our body or 2) expose our body to harmful chemicals.  So let's talk about dark spots.
Dark spots can appear because of many different reasons. Over-exposure to the sun can cause dark spots in various stages. The harmful rays from the sun can expose the skin to damaging rays that may result in those nasty dark spots. Although we are of a darker skin complexion, we must also invest in sun screen and sun block. Our skin can be damaged as much as our Caucasian counterparts.
Certain medication sensitize the skin to the sun. If you are taking any of the following: Estrogens,Tetracyclines or sulfonamides, you could be at a higher risk to sun damage than most.
Pregnancy is another cause of dark spots on the skin. Because of the elasticity of the skin, it can be stretched without boundaries, but once the skin is able to return to its natural shape, it can be affected by darkened skin, This results from the skin being stretched.
No matter what the reason is for your dark spots, here are some NATURAL ways to treat those spots. Tart juice from a lemon can help lighten up dark spots on the skin. The acid in lemon juice has a natural lightening affect on the skin. You can dab a cotton ball in lemon juice and apply it to the skin after a morning and evening wash.
Mash up a clove of garlic and an onion to release moisture into the skin. Once these 2 are mashed, it will create a paste. You can apply this paste to any affected area and let stand for a few minutes. Unlike the lemon, use this mixture BEFORE you wash due to the smell. The onion has antioxidants that are released into the skin to help with rejuvenation.
Vinegar, just like lemon juice, has the acid that can help lighten up dark spots. Place the vinegar on the skin twice a day(on freshly cleansed skin) and allow the acid to help lighten spots. Because of the potency of this product, it is not recommended for the face.
Castor oil is great in the healing process of the skin. Once you apply an acidic to the skin, apply castor oil, grapeseed oil or olive oil to prevent dryness. Most of your natural oils will aid in the repairing of the skin, but castor oil has been proven to speed up the healing process.
As as always, WATER, WATER, WATER. Remember, what you put in your body plays a big part in the appearance of our skin, So drink plenty of water help take care of that skin!!

Protecting your hair with protective styling

  
I was having a conversation with a new natural and began to talk about the importance of protective styling. It wasn't until I looked at her face that I realized she had no idea what I was talking about. For some of us that have been natural, protective styling is a must, but lets take a little time out to talk about what it is and maybe revisit it for others.

Protective styling is just that. It is designed to protect the hair from various things. It protects from harsh weather(like the dry, rough winter air), protects your hair from your obsession of manipulating your hair(yes, we know you can't help but touch those lovely locs) and it protects your hair from breakage that can come from constantly combing the hair. If you coming back from a damaging accident or style, a protective will give the hair time to slowly rejuvenate itself and prevent constant combing and detangling.

Protective styling come in all types of shapes, forms and fashions. Some of us prefer twists(2 strand and flat), braids(micro, box....the list goes on) or cornrows. But one of the most important things about protective styling is that you have to make sure you are moisturizing the hair. It is easy to forget about our daily moisturizing routine when we don't have to style it everyday. Get some of your favorite oils together and put in a spray bottle. Oil the scalp/hair so that it still retains and maintains it's moisture level. If you neglect the hair while it is in a protective style, it can create dry, damaged hair and breakage. And like always, don't forget to wrap the hair at night!!!!
When wearing constant protective style,it's important that you clip your ends between styles in order to enhance hair growth.

Olive oil and the black hair

If you take a look around the black hair care aisle, you will find plenty of conditioners (daily or leave in) that boast that it's made with olive oil. Walk a little further and you will see some box perms advertised this way as well. So if you're anything like me, you have to wonder, if every product boasts its great need for great hair, why not use it on your own. Olive oil is one of the many staple products that many naturalistas use in their dailly regimen. Olive oil has so many benefits for the hair and scalp that it can be used for your pre-poo, used to treat scalp irritation and dandruf, added to your own butter or used as a conditioner. It's the same olive oil that is sitting in your kitchen cabinet. Rub a little bit of olive oil in your hand and massage it throughout your hair for a quick frizz reducer and shiny tresses. If you want to use it as a deep conditioner, place a generous amount of the oil in your hair and sit under the dryer. With this method, I would recommend spritzing the hair with a little water, detangle, and add the oil from the scalp to the end of the hair. Sit under the dryer, rinse and you will be amazed at the softness of your hair(WATCH OUT NOW!!!)
Another benefit to using olive oil is that it has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties which aid in the healing of scalp issues associated with dermatitis. Olive oil is also best for the treatment of dandruff and dry scalp

Black soap hair wash



Black soap is a multi-functional product in my book! Because of the natural ingredients found in this product it is great from head to toe. I use black soap on my skin because of it's non-toxic healing factors which benefit my skin like no other. Its good for thinning fine lines, evening out dark spots, eczema, razor bumps and eliminating blemishes. It is also used to lightly exfoliate and give you healthier looking skin. The soap can also be used on your body or hair or for oily skin, dry skin, skin rashes, scalp irritations, body odors and is good for sensitive skin.
Here's a little bit of history for you. It's made from the ash of locally harvested plants and barks such a plantain, cocoa pods, palm tree leaves, and shea tree bark. First the leaves and bark are sun-dried and then roasted in a kettle or pot at an even, constant temperature, which is important to ensure color, texture and smell. Then water and various oils - palm oil, coconut oil, palm kernel oil (including shea butter and cocoa pod powder) - are added to the mixture and stirred for at least a day. After that, the "soap" is left to set for two weeks to cure.Black soap is traditionally made in west Africa, typically Ghana, from secret recipes. Different tribes and communities have adopted their own specific (secret) blend of oils and cooking techniques, which can be seen in the different color variations among black soap. The ash itself was often used to heal cuts. Varieties of black soap actually made in Africa tend to be pure, while soaps made in Europe or the US tend to have added artificial ingredients.
I currently use black soap on my skin. Once I was introduced to it, I couldn't turn back. Although not terribly convenient to locate(depending on where you stay) it is definitely worth the search. I love black soap because of the purity of the product. I'm able to not only clean my skin without harsh chemicals, I can wash my hair with it sans the sulfates and other drying agents. When I first used the product I was afraid of the consistency. It's not as thick as most shampoos but surprisingly I didn't have to use the entire bottle to get a good amount of sud action. Once it was in my hair it kept created a great wash and once rinsed my hair wasn't hard and brittle. Another benefit of using it as a shampoo, it didn't take an enormous amount to cover my hair(which is greatly appreciated considering the amount of hair I have on my head). Although some people prefer to not use shampoo as all, if you are a shampooer, I would recommend this shampoo.