Husband and Natural Hair

Hi Everyone!  How are you all doing?  I feel like I haven't blogged in a while.  Oh I know I posted the last vids about Lexie but I'm talking about doing some serious writing...I feel like I haven't done that in a while.  I find that now that I'm doing videos it's sometimes easier to communicate through that medium rather than writing.  But I still do enjoy documenting my thoughts and process through writing yet I've come to realize that people understand a little clearer when they have a visual(video)...so they each have their place.

Anyway, here in this vlog I present my husband!!  (yay!!)  He agreed to sit down with me and answer some questions on video about his thoughts on natural hair and how he feels about me being/going natural. I borrowed some of these questions from our friend Lilbiebbah.   Here is the link to her youtube interview of the Male Perspective of Natural Hair -  part 1 and part 2.    I also combined those questions with those from a tag done by NaturalMe4C.  I enjoyed doing this video with my hubby.  Some of my his answers surprised/enlightened me so it was informative too.

So without further ado, check out part one of my Husband and Natural Hair tag.




Here is Part 2 of Husband and Natural Hair Tag


So what do the males in your life think of natural hair(and your natural hair in particular)?

Let's Celebrate Our Hair!!

It's tag time!!!!  Actually it's my first hair tag and that's kind of exciting to me!!

Feeling a little down-and-out about your hair or hair progress?

Need a little pick-me-up or encouragement in your hair journey?

or, just wanna have a little fun and share with others what you celebrate about your hair?

Well this tag is for you!! 

 

I decided to start a WHAT I LIKE/LOVE/APPRECIATE about my hair tag to encourage those who may be feeling some kind of way about their hair journey and to help us all to focus on the positives and to use the negatives as stepping-stones to overcome the hair blahs!!!

Check out this YOUTUBE video on my inspiration for this tag, tag questions and how this tag works.  Looking forward to hearing from you! :-)





 
Tag questions:
1.  Name 5 things you like/love/appreciate about your hair - this is to help review/relive/recount what is positive about the hair that grows out of your head.  If you feel you can't think of anything, FIND SOMETHING positive about your hair even in it's current state..

2.  Name 5 things you like/appreciate about your hair journey - how you or your hair have changed/grown; anything you've learned

3.  Name 1 reason why started your current hair journey or 1 goal that you want to achieve in your haircare journey -  This is intended to help us REfocus on our original, worthwhile, positive goals we set forth at the beginning and/or SET positive, worthwhile goals for our hair.

4.  Name 1 thing you want to change (or continue doing) that will progress you toward your goal(s) in your HHHJ. - This step is intended to be a catalyst for any action steps we can begin to take to negate the negatives that may be running around in our heart and minds about our hair.  Also, if we are at the point where we have found some things that work for our hair this will reinforce being diligent in executing that.

Remember, feel free to share your answers here on this blog, in the comments on youtube, or video response as we support each other toward HHHJ!!!


 

Loving Lexie Naturally

 
I have finally finished transitioning my daughter's hair.  She is now au naturelle.  

This is where we both started off:

More pics from back in the 'relaxed' days

I began transitioning her in May 2012 when I big chopped.  She did not want to big chop like I did.  She actually wanted to keep her long hair but she went with it.  She didn't care if she was natural or relaxed she just wanted her hair to be long.

Jan. 2013 she agreed to let me cut SOME of her permed hair off.  I cut it up to the bottom of her neck.  Little did I know that once I washed her hair it would shrink up to this.  She was such a good sport about it all, though!!!!

I kept it in braids for a while....

but those relaxed ends needed special and extra attention...we finally graduated to braidouts/twistouts...

This is what her wash days looked like.....

 

Then I began to see these beautiful coils and curls emerge as her natural hair grew in.  I became soooo excited and wanted to cut those ends off when I saw this but I had to wait because she wasn't ready...(bless her sweet heart :-)

I had to learn to manage/detangle/style 2 textures.  It was an adventure (not easy) but those permed ends began to be more of a bother(to me, at least).  I guess that's because I knew what was waiting to burst forth underneath!!!!

Last Thursday, May 9, 2013, she agreed to allow me to cut off the rest of those (pesky) relaxed ends. 

Check out this YOUTUBE VIDEO to see what we ended up with.







This is where we both are now:

Loving Dee and Lexie Naturally!!
Be still my heart....

My favorite hair products May 2013: Tresemme Naturals Nourishing Moisture Conditioner

I wanted to document and share my thoughts on one of my favorite products I use in my haircare regimen/journey.  For me, this product has performed well (exceptionally well in some areas) in the following categories/areas and maybe that is why it has made it into my regimen on a permanent basis.

MY EXPERIENCE (Effect on my hair/Experience using product)

This is my favorite conditioner and has become a staple in my regimen.  From the first time I used it, it softened, smoothed, moisturized, conditioned and detangled my hair all without silicones or harmful ingredients. I haven't found another silicone-free conditioner that softens and conditions my hair like this one.  My hair seems to just melt when I put it in and my hair becomes manageable enough to easily detangle or manipulate as I twist or braid or define my curls.  It lends itself to being used as a multi-purpose product in caring for my hair and my family's hair.   I use it by itself in some instances or in my various homemade concoctions as the following:

1. detangler
2. moisturizer/rinse-out conditioner
3. co-wash
4. deep conditioner concoction
5. in my liquid daily moisturizing/refresher spritz concoction
6. creamy leave-in conditioner concoction
7. refresh/re-define frizzy curls

Now, I have heard/read others mention how this conditioner gives them flakes and I have experienced the same thing using Tresemme Naturals whenever I used gel, even an all-natural gel such as flaxseed gel.  I stopped using gel though, b/c I found that conditioner only was sufficient(at the time...my hair was short)  to define my curls and it gave my style enough hold and also I wasn't able to find any other non-silicone conditioner to condition my hair like this one.  Since I don't use gel anymore I have not had any instance/problem with white balls or flakes.

EASE OF USE, TEXTURE, FRAGRANCE(how easy was it to apply to hair)

This conditioner is easy to apply.  I use a little extra water after application to increase the slip of the conditioner in my hair.  This conditioner has a smooth, creamy consistency and a light perfumey fragrance that I do love.  I would not categorize this as a 'heavy' conditioner.  It goes on with a "light-weight" feel but does deliver a good conditioning to my hair.


INGREDIENTS(are they natural or as close to natural as possible, is it silicone-free-my hair doesn't do well with silicones or too much protein)

From the time I became natural Tresemme has changed/improved their formula.  The old formula had the Aloe Extract and Avocado Oil further down in the list so with the new formulation the Aloe leaf extract and Avocado Oil has been moved up in the list. Also, the old formula used to contain Isopropyl Alcohol but that has been removed altogether and replaced with Benzyl Alcohol so the newer formula is an improvement over the old.  These are the ingredients in the newest/most recent formulation:

Water, Carprylic/Capric Tryglerceride, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearmidopropyl Diemthlyamine, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) oil, Aloe barbadensis leaf extract, Brassica Campestris/Aleurites, Fordi Oil Copolymer, Fragrance, Caprylyl  Glycol, Aspartic Acid, Lauroyl Lysine, Distearyldimonium Chloride, Benzyl Alchol, Centric Acid   (NO SILICONES!!)

I love that while this is not an 'all-natural' conditioner I consider it to be "the next best thing" to all-natural because of:

• the way it makes my hair feel/the way it conditions my hair and 
• the ingredients are sufficiently "good" or acceptable(see video below)

Speaking of ingredients:   I know you don't go by what the manufacturer says about their products but I just want to hightlight a couple of Tresemme's comments about their own product b/c I do agree with them.

(from http://www.tresemme.com/Products/Naturals/Naturals-Moisture-Conditioner/)

• Formulated with USDA certified organic extracts like Aloe Vera and Avocado, your hair is incredibly soft and more manageable. (I can attest to the softness and manageability of my hair after using this conditioner)
• Hypoallergenic, dye-free and color-safe, this gentle conditioner is great for all hair types. (based on my research this conditioner does not contain any dyes or colors)
• Protects your hair from damage and breakage with naturally derived polymers. (I don't know how they make their ingredients, whether they are truly naturally derived or made  synthetically...I'll take their word on it...besides my hair loves it!!!)

  

PRICE(is the price such that I am financially able to continue to buy it or is it just that good that I don't care about the price :-))

This is not an expensive or overly-priced conditioner (I am so very glad of that!!) but the price has been creeping up.   When I first became natural, just about a year ago, I could get a 25 ounce bottle of Tresemme for $3.50/bottle.  I've even found it on sale last year for 2 for $5.  But now (May 2013) the regular price has gone up to $4.99 and up until recently the best price I could find was $4.59 and that's what I would pay.  But just last week, my grocery store had a special where all Tresemme Naturals was on sale for $3.99ea.  If you buy 2 you get a coupon for $2.50 off your next order.  Well, I bought 2.  That was $7.98.  I got a coupon for $2.50 off next order so I went back and bought 2 more bottles.  That was $7.98 minus $2.50=$ 5.48.  I paid $5.48 for 2 bottles(Divide $5.48 by 2, that's $2.74 A BOTTLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Yay!!! ) AND I got another coupon for $2.50 off next order.  Next day I went back and did the same thing.  I decided to stock up so I bought about 8 bottles of Tresemme (multiple transactions) overall and I still have $2.50 coupon off next order.  I'll just use that on my next grocery shopping trip.



Overall Impression/Recommendations(would I recommend it to others)

Overall, I have had and continue to have a very positive experience in using this product and would recommend this whole-heartedly to anyone who may be looking for an excellent all-purpose conditioner.


This video describes and gives information on each ingredient in the ingredient list.  Enjoy!