Naturally Obsessed

About me...My name is Elle, also known as The Ebony Majesty on YouTube. I'm a 20-something year-old natural hair addict with waist length 3b/3c hair.

(Wash & go while transitioning)

Where do you live? How is the natural hair community there?
I live in London, England. The majority of women I see have relaxed hair, although I do have a few friends who have decided to go natural. Nowadays I do see more natural divas compared to when I first did the big chop. I feel so happy when people decide to take the plunge, whether they are in my circle or not!

When and why did you decide to go natural?
I decided to go natural in December 2006. My hair was dyed red, and I had just relaxed my hair. It was damaged and that was the last straw for me. In my younger days I had long hair. However, growing up and experimenting with every style going was not good for my strands. I was also inspired by the ladies on Long Hair Care Forum.

I transitioned for 18 months and braved the big chop in June 2008 (my BC video). I was out with friends and had an overwhelming urge to go home and cut my hair (weird I know). It was liberating though!

My name is Bintou Camara, I am from Guinea-Conakry, West Africa.  I don't speak English very well, but I am trying my best. I am 23 years old and I am a young business woman in mining. I discovered your blog when I was searching how Corinne Bailey Ray maintains her beautiful hair, because until May 2011 I decided to let my hair grow naturally, now its short, but I like it! I like your blog and hope that I will learn more about beautiful black natural hair. Best, Bintou. 

About me...My name is Rachel, also known as Curlyt00 on the web. I am 24 (soon to be 25 in November) and I am a natural hair lover, I love everything about natural hair, the good and the bad. I am a Christian, a wife of 4 years, soon to be 5 in May, a student, an aspiring author, a self proclaim natural hair guru =). I am the founder of "www.natural-beauty-01.com"and the Naturally Beautiful Tips blog at "blog.natural-beauty-01.com". I enjoy life and continue to encourage others to enjoy it as well, one day at a time! I live in the sunshine state of Florida where natural hair is all around here. It seems that before I went natural I did not see many naturals, but now that I am conscience and aware, I see natural beauties everyday here. From big afros, to TWAs and from locks to buns, Florida is definitely on the map.

When and why did you decide to go natural? I went natural and did the BC on December 31 2008, after 3 months of transitioning. After seeing another natural beauty with long curly hair, I wondered what my natural hair would look like. So the next day at work I googled the "whole day" researching natural hair. I had just had a relaxer that burnt my scalp but I thought that was normal and I just had a sensitive scalp ya know. So Labor Day weekend 2008 was my last relaxer and then the journey begun. By the end of the year, I just could not wait any longer and said I would start new for the New Year. Never before had I had short short hair, but for some reason I was not afraid. Working with two textures was not easy for me and I researched more on how to care for natural hair verses caring for transitioning hair. Running my fingers through my roots and feeling what I thought was wavy hair; I was too excited to see. I don’t really remember my hair as a child before relaxers so it was a mystery for me. But I was ready, willing, and able to learn.

Were your friends and family supportive of your decision? If not, how were you able to move forward? My family and friends was very supportive. I have even inspired four of my friends to start their journey. My husband is my biggest fan, and a natural hair lover himself. When I did the big chop he knew it was coming but he was just as shock as I was, for a day or two he would say, "it looks good, just need to take some getting use to" after a few days he was hooked. I was hooked from day one so I am not really sure how I would have taken it if others didn’t like it, because I had fell in love from the moment I saw my first kink!

Describe your hair routine. I keep my current hair routine simple. Once I find something that works I am good. Every once in a while I will go out and try something new but my routine is to co wash only with suave naturals conditioner (cheap and durable, very moisturizing), I do not use shampoos at all. I am not against shampoos as long as it does not contain sulfates but I just don’t use them. I will detangle in the shower with my shower comb (usually one to three times a week depending on the style upkeep I have in my hair) I love to feel the water run through my hair, then after my hair is fully detangled I rinse, put in a leave in conditioner (Shea moisture leave in, hemp seed butter, Shea butter, mango butter, curl activator (depending on the style I am going to wear) and style my hair in a protective style, such as twists, twist outs and buns. I don’t not wear my hair out in a wash and go a lot anymore because of the tangles, but I will wear my hair out stretched in a twist out or braid out. Once a month I will do a rhassoul clay mask treatment and deep condition. I always wear satin to sleep in, whether it is a scarf or a bonnet.

What are your hair goals and what steps are you taking to achieve them? I have a few goals left for my natural hair, although one goal reached for me was to obtain a full pony. Once I got there I was satisfied with length. While I am not so length obsessed now, I would like to reach waist length one day. My main goal is to have healthy, reserved hair. That’s it!! I am trimming when needed, keeping my hair moisturized and hydrated and protecting it from over styling and the environment.

What's your favorite go to natural hair style? My favorite go to style at the moment is the small twist, only because it is protective and I can wear them up off of the material on my clothes and they do not take long to do (small ones not the mini and micros). I can get two styles out of them also. For a few days I can wear twist then a stretched twist out and then detangling is easy and I can co wash and do them over. I usually do my whole wash routine and section my hair in four sections and put my leave in on and use my Denman brush and give it one last detangling brush on wet hair and I sit in front of TV and twist, no comb no parts. I seal the ends with pure virgin coconut oil and I go, a few days later I just UN ravel and fluff and go =) I use to love love love wavy buns when I could first get a decent bun, but that lasted a few months and I do mini twist when I need a break from my hair for a month on blow dried stretched hair.

Curly girls have more fun because...we are versatile and you cannot put us in a box. With our hair the possibilities are endless an inspiring to others! Oh yeah and we don’t run from water =)

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Ingredients: Raw pressed mango butter, sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil and lavender essential oil. 

Nicole writes -

Hi, I love your YouTube channel and blog. I wanted to know do you blow dry your hair really straight before you twist? I have a problem with shrinkage with my twist. And do what product do you use to straighten if you blow dry? I've seen you and "Pretty Dimples" do the "mini" twist tutorial before, but I haven't been able to get my hair that straight. I don't want to use too much heat. I try my best to stay away from a lot of heat. Thanks for your time and I appreciate and enjoy you!!

About Me...I am “Natural Jael”, co-founder of Natural Hair Community, who has been researching natural hair for years. I love meeting random natural women to hear their natural hair story. I am always amazed at the stories behind the beautiful head of hair. I enjoy playing Sudoku and reading the funnies during lunch.  

Where do you live? How is the natural hair community there?
Sweet Home Alabama. The natural hair scene in Central Alabama is flourishing. It is not uncommon to see at least 7 to 10 natural haired women in passing at one location. On a smaller scale, there are 11 women in my office; 3 are completely natural, 1 attempted to go natural and 1 is starting to have open dialogue about the possibilities.

Before I started my job, the natural hair percentage there was only 14%, the day I arrived it jumped to 25% and the next year it rose to 27%. These statistics are evidence that natural hair is on the rise. Also, I have seen where stylists are becoming more open to serving women with natural hair. Salons are no longer “relaxer only” operations.

This openness offers natural hair women a greater range of styling options. Imagine my delight when I audited a local not-for-profit organization and the new director – to my surprise – was a woman with locs. They were long and beautiful. She was extremely professional and her locs were neat and well maintained.  
When and why did you decide to go natural?
This quote, by Arnold Glasow, sums up my journey in 12 little words: “Parents can tell but never teach, unless they practice what they preach.”

It was because of my daughter, that I began my transition. I watched her hair morph into lifeless strands from relaxers. There were no balding spots or sores – just limp, lifeless hair. I made the decision not to relax her hair and to keep it braided. I now know this was the start of her transition. After a year with braids, she started to wear her natural texture and that is when the teasing began. Kids can be so cruel and the constant teasing from the other kids devastated my daughter. As a parent, one of the hardest responsibilities that come with the job is to see your child hurting. Now comes the time to pick up the pieces. All of the teasing and name-calling was because her hair did not look like their hair – anymore.
I constantly told her that she was smart and beautiful, not just beautiful on the outside, but a beautiful person. I explained, as best I could, that God made us perfect. Our hair is exactly how it is supposed to be. If He wanted us to have straight hair, He would have given it to us. But He didn’t. So be happy with what you have. There I was with long flowing relaxed hair, giving encouragement to my daughter – who was natural with short tightly coiled hair. That did not make me feel good. As a parent, there are two things that I have to remind myself of: children will usually do as you do and hardly ever do what you say. I feel like I should be the best example for my children – if not me, then who? Now, feeling extremely hypocritical, I came to a pivotal point and a decision needed to be made. Either I stay relaxed and relax her hair again or she stays natural and I transition. Now, four years into my natural hair journey, I have no regrets.  

Were your friends and family supportive of your decision? If not, how were you able to move forward?
In the beginning, I did not receive any support, because I did not tell anyone. The reason I did not tell is because I did not want anyone to try and talk me out of my decision and I was not prepared to handle the criticism or the questions. Once I became confident with my decision, I was better equipped and able to handle the “why did you do that to your hair” or the “what about your job” type questions that ultimately came when I revealed that I was growing out my relaxer.

At this point in my journey, I felt that my reason for going natural was solid and I believed in it with all my heart. I had to believe in my reason and stand on my reason, so that I would not allow anyone’s disapproving comments or comments that were not 100% supportive to sway my journey. Fortunately, I was surrounded by people who supported me, even if they did not totally understand my reason why.  

Describe your current hair routine.
My hair routine is simple:
•I wear protective styles 98% of the time.
•I shampoo and deep condition with heat weekly.
•I henna monthly. I trim my ends when needed.
•I clarify when my hair stops responding to my products.

Do you have any hair goals? What steps are you taking to achieve them?
Yes, my ultimate hair goal is to grow my hair to MBL by Memorial Day 2012. If not, I sure hope to be super close :)  

What's your favorite go to natural style and how do you achieve it?
My fav go-to style will have to be my Friday puff. I try to wear protective styles most of the time and only allow my hair to be loose one or two days out of the week – maximum. On Thursday nights, I take my protective style down and twist my hair in about 12 chunky twists. The twists are to stretch my hair for my puff the next morning.  

Curly girls have more fun because...we can enjoy walks in the rain and still have fabulous hair :)

Hey Ladies! Today I wanted to share with you another fab site that I stumbled upon called www.FlowersFromFatima.com. Fatima creates and sells these gorgeous handmade flower hair clips that you see above. Her pieces can be worn for many different occasions. Dress them up with a chic dress or use them to add pop to a plain tee and jean look. Keep reading to learn more about the young lady behind the brand...

Fatima's inspiration....

"Growing up, my father decided to pursue a family run program for the improvement of our neighborhood. Alone, my family and I turned the neighborhood into a paradise. We attracted exotic butterflies, birds, and positive energy that seemed foreign to the complex and this beauty lasted for many Summers. It was then, 10 years ago, that I found an attraction for natural beauty and have grown to connect with our Mother Nature in all ways possible. In mid-December, my father passed, but his vision and dream of hope lives through my flowers"

Want to know what else is great?? Fatima is now offering a very generous discount of 40% off exclusively to Naturally Obsessed readers. All you have to do is enter "Naturally40" into the promo code box before checking out....and that's it!!  Offer ends on Sept. 21st exactly one week from today, so act fast before the offers runs out. Happy shopping ladies :)

 Product Description: 

An Orchard in a Bottle. Thayers Peach Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera Formula is nectar for the skin. It’s got all the soothing properties you’ve come to love in our Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera Formula Astringents, with a gorgeous, fresh-off-the-tree scent. Thayers Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera Formula Astringents and Alcohol-Free Toners have been soothing, softening, healing and stimulating skin since 1847. Try our hands-on approach. Hamamelis Virginiana? Thayers calls it "The Shrub Of Life". Made of extract from the Witch Hazel shrub (Hamamelis Virginiana) and a blend of other time-tested ingredients - THAYERS Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera Formula Astringents and Alcohol-Free Toners are soothing, natural treatments that cleanse, tone and soothe your skin. Read more HERE.

Ingredients: Thayers Proprietary Witch Hazel, Peach leaves, Orange Flower, Tangerine, Kiwi, Passion Fruit, Vitamin C, Aloe Vera, natural grain alcohol as a preservative (10%) and an Emulsified All-Natural Peach Fragrance

Cost: 12 oz bottle $6.54 @ www.LuckyVitamin.com

My Thoughts: I've been using witch hazel on my face since I started doing the OCM (oil cleansing method) last year. I use it as a toner after cleansing to grab any extra dirt or oil lingering on my face. In the beginning I would use a generic/no name witch hazel from Walmart and it worked fine for my skin...nothing special. When I ran out I decided to look for other formulations before repurchasing the same brand. I stumbled on the Thayers brand while stocking up on conditioner at LuckyVitamin.com and was immediately impressed by the ingredients and product claims. Long story short, I scooped up a bottle and have been using it ever since. The first thing I noticed about this brand was the scent, it actually smells really nice...like peaches lol! My generic brand smelled like rubbing alcohol so this was definitely an upgrade. Another plus about Thayers Witch Hazel is that it not only cleanses my skin, but it makes my skin feel soft and moisturized afterwards. On my lazy days when I have nowhere to go I often and don't feel like doing the OCM, I'll just squirt some Thayers on a cotton ball, swipe my face and be done. It's now a staple in my skincare regimen!

Her fave products...

“Most of the time when I do my hair I wash it and I use two different Aveda products: Shampure and Aveda Damage Remedy,” she said.

 On maintaining healthy ends...

Most of the people I know say ‘Oh I haven’t cut my hair in seven years, it never grows it’s been this way the whole time,’ when really it hasn’t been that way, it’s been grown.”

 “If you get the ends cut solid so they don’t split they’re not going to break and your hair’s going to grow. People who think their hair doesn’t grow, it’s not true, everyone’s hair grows. You are cutting your hair with your hair brush and comb if you’re not getting it cut regularly. The breakage at the end makes you think it’s not growing.”

Keeping it simple...

“Put the conditioner in it, comb it out, then wash out the conditioner. Braid it into four big plats and keep it like that for a day. Then unravel the braids and you have curls that will stay.”

Article submitted by Daisy Raybould- Maintaining healthy hair is unfortunately not as simple as just using shampoo and conditioner. There are a number of things we need to consider and all are equally as important in order to achieve the perfect hair we all desire. These are not complicated or expensive tips however practiced on a regular basis they have proven to be very effective.

Balanced Diet
The food we eat is an essential influencing factor in the overall condition of our hair. A balanced diet is key to healthy hair.

•Water is vital for nourishing the hair and locking in the natural shine making it silky smooth and more manageable
•Eggs contain the hair growth vitamin known as biotin, which also helps to maintain a healthy scalp
•Salmon and nuts contain high levels of omega 3 fatty acids, these acids are responsible for maintaining a healthy scalp and revitalizing dull hair
•Poultry is a great source of protein that can help strengthen weak hair and restore color
•Low-fat yogurt and milk are great sources of calcium, a mineral that is very important for the growth of hair
•Dark green vegetables contain vitamins A and C, which assist in the production of sebum. This oil acts as a natural conditioner for the hair
•Whole grains found in bread and cereals will provide the hair with a healthy dose of vitamin B, iron, and zinc
•Beans, legumes, and lentils are a great source of vitamins and minerals to help strengthen brittle hair

Healthy Scalp
No matter how hard you try, healthy hair cannot be achieved without a healthy scalp. You should opt for a mild form of shampoo with an acid base; this will ensure the hair is protected while maintaining the texture of the hair. It is not recommended that you shampoo every day, as this will further dry out your scalp. Simply wash your hair when it feels dirty.

The scalp must be kept moisturized; this will keep the skin supple and help to stimulate the growth of hair. Try natural essential oils such as jojoba, rosemary or tea tree oil. Use Shea butter for hair to maintain moisture in the scalp. Exfoliate once a week to remove dead skin and massage regularly to improve blood circulation.

Loeski writes...

Hi Shana! Let me start by giving you props for having such a successful blog and YouTube channel! Your natural journey has helped me out a lot, but I'm sure you can tell by the subject line that I'm having some hair issues. Around April this year, I began to notice my hair getting more frizzy and a lot drier. I was doing deep conditions every 3 weeks due to protective styling (mini twists and such) after washes, but nothing seemed to help. I trim my ends once a month, because I have loads of damage and split ends (too much heat on my hair) and I think I may have heat damage as well. I try to talk to people about my hair and no one seems to recognize the big deal because my twist outs and styles "look good" but the frizz and lack of curl pattern are really beginning to worry me. My hair only curls when wet (which didn't used to be the case) and even if I allow my hair to air dry and apply moisturizer it is still dry!!! I  am debating cutting off my shoulder length 4a hair and starting over *insert sad face here*. I don't know what to do! I feel like I have tried everything but to no avail. If you can be of assistance, I would really appreciate it! You are one of my hair idols so whatever you have to say will be taken into consideration with the utmost respect. 
Hopefully, Loeski 

Hi Loeski! I think you've already diagnosed the problem correctly all by yourself lol! From what you've written, it seems your issue is heat damage. You have all the classic symptoms; frizz, lack of curl pattern and hair that is just not behaving as it normally does. Your efforts to treat the issue are commendable, but unfortunately if it's heat damage there isn't much you can do to fix it. The only options you really have is to either grow it out or cut it off. Also the dryness could be a result of the products you're using. Make sure that if it claims to moisturizing, that it is water based (meaning water should 1st on the ingredients list). Try to avoid sulfate shampoos and check to see if your products contain proteins or not. Your hair maybe sensitive to protein which could also be the cause of your dryness. I hope this helps you Loeski and thank you for supporting my blog and YouTube channel. The love is truly appreciated :)
-Shana

Have you seen this film?? While flipping through the TV this morning, trying to find something to occupy Niecey Poo, I came across the title of this film Happy To Be Nappy. I was like "Huh...What"! That's not a title you see everyday on your TV guide lol! So I quickly clicked it to see what it was about. Immediately my heart was melted! It had already been on for a minutes before I tuned it and I caught it right when these 2 little black girls are talking about their hair. These girls were talking like I wish some adult black women would! They just love their hair...how it moves, what they can do with it and how it's so different from the other girls in their class. The fact that their hair is different didn't matter at all, because they love it!! I look over at Niecey Poo's face and she is hanging on to their every word lol!!I was proud of them like I knew them personally. All little black girls should feel this way, kudos to their parents. After the girls, Mary J Blige narrates a cute poem celebrating our hair :)

The film is not just about hair though. It explores all the many differences that make us who we are and how we deal with them...from a kids point of view. It covers various topics from kids with various backgrounds. It's an awesome film that I think every child should get the chance to see. Heck, even some adults could learn a thing or 2 for these children!

The Mister and I were introduced to Black Seed Oil a few months ago, by a relative. They got us in touch with a local seller who basically told us this was some kind of miracle oil that fix/cure almost anything. I was a bit skeptical, but my husband decided to purchase some anyway...smh. Long story short, neither one of us has ever used it lol! I planned on given it a try, but finding good reliable reviews on it's benefits concerning hair growth were hard to come by. However, Naturally Curly post this article below today that pretty much clears up any confusion I had about this oil and it's hair growing claims.

(Written by Samantha Berley via NaturallyCurly.com)
There’s been a bit of a hubbub about hair growth remedies these days. Men often turn to toupees or hairpieces, but women don’t necessarily have that option. One of many recently popular hair growth remedies that have surfaced is black seed oil.

However, even though it’s marketed to boost hair growth, not a lot is known about it. What is this so-called black seed oil? What does it do, and does it have any true application to the growth or re-growth of hair?

What Is It?? Part of the confusion with this oil is not the oil itself, but the dozens of different types of “black seeds.” Often times, it’s confused with cumin and other spices. However, research shows that there is only one black seed used for medicinal purposes, which can be one, of what may be many, hair growth remedies out there.

The Black Seed Oil Problem: There are several websites that boast of black seed’s near-magical properties, but all of those websites are selling a product. This makes some of the general information a bit problematic for consumers, especially those who want to be savvy about their purchases.

So, what’s the good news? Black seed oil has been scientifically proven to help with a variety of ailments, both in lab rats and in humans, including colitis, reduction of cancer growth and boosting the immune system.

Unfortunately, in regards to black seed oil as one of many hair growth remedies, there is bad news. There is no information on the benefits of black seed oil in regards to hair growth, and I looked through tons medical journals and medical journal databases! However, that’s not to say that anecdotal evidence doesn’t exist.

The Black Seed Oil Low Down: Even if there aren’t any proven results in medical journal databases, the non-e-commerce side of the Internet is boasting that black seed oil contains essential fatty acids to promote a healthy body, and state the oil is one of the many hair growth remedies to prevent hair thinning and promote healthy growth of hair.

Overall, shrouded in mystery, black seed oil has been proven time and time again to boost the body’s ability to strengthen and heal, but the jury is still out as to its help with hair growth. As of yet, no official scientific studies are available via some of the largest medical databases in the nation. This is problematic for those who want details and want to know how it works. That information, at least concerning how the oil can speed up hair growth, just does not exist.

That being said, black seed oil is healthy for you. It has the ingredients that other hair growth remedies boast, and there is anecdotal evidence, in spite of the lack of scientific evidence.