Since I started my natural healthy hair journey, I find myself looking at a lot of women's hair, if they are natural, i try to figure out what hair type they have, I chat them in my mind, "her hair is so dry", "ughh, that needs washing", :an acv rinse can get out them crusty looking dandruff" and if they are relaxed, i can see damage or health, and i go on chatting them: :those ends, eww, so stringy", "those edges so picky picky", "look at that breakage", or oh yea, she takes care of her hair...I even find myself wanting to preach the word of Natural hair to my sistas letting them know, testifying (hallelujah) that it is best for the health of our hair to either stop getting a relaxer, (oh lawd) or stretch out the relaxers to maybe 2x a year, and in cooperate more protein treatments and Deep conditioning into their hair diets, as it is a popular myth that steaming (deep conditioning your hair will take the relaxer out, so they stay away from it. A lot of us just do not know how to treat our hair , and aint that sad? I ran into a few persons from my school days, that had a full head of hair, some down to their backs. Thick lustrous hair to die for, and when I see them now, I'm like Wth! huh? Where is all that hair??? and I go on and on blaming the relaxer, asking them if they don't remember how long their hair was, and how we used to rave about it. They remember, but cant deal with if but they endure the burns and breakage and peeled out hair sides. SMH. They say they'll cut it, wear weaves, pshh, it will grow back. its just hair.
Yes, I've heard that so many times "it is just hair" and it will grow back, and hair is dead, I once shared that sentiment, it was like yea yea I am not my hair I don't need to practice any hair care nutn, its just that. I am not my hair, it doesn't control me! Is this really so? Is it just hair? Because if that is so why is it that our hair overpowers us, takes over so many different aspects of our lives. So many different products, so many different brands of false hair, so many wigs, lace wigs, half wigs, remi, peruvian hair that look like "real hair" so many techniques to make a wig or sew in extensions have a natural look? Why all that stress if its just hair? It is not just hair, our hair means so much more to us than we can imagine.We reason that certain hairstyles dont match certain outfits, our hair needs to be did in order for our clothes to look good, you cant have a certain hairstyle if you want to work certain places. Persons become offended if you wear your hair in a particular style. You can become a targeted by the popos if u got a certain hair style. (dreadlocks)
Good hair, bad hair, hair typing, letters and numbers kinky hair curly hair coily hair straight hair wavy hair. Ooo "I want that hair", its the Indian in my genes why hair is like this. All this hair talk is making me go off! Black hair has revolutionised, I love it! But deep down I want it to be like an epidemic, a virus, taking over all black people, matter of fact take over the world!(evil Laugh). At the end a di day yall it's your hair, do whatever u wanna do with it! this is just me ranting! Hey, Im close to my 1 year Nappiversary, so I'm overly excited!
Peace
Mocha Dier
Thursday 9 May 2013
Tuesday 2 April 2013
Aloe Vera Olive oil
Last week I went to bed without covering it. the next day I woke up with my hair feeling like straw. And looking not so wonderful. In addition to that, I was lazy, and could not bother to go through the whole wash day regimen. Since loosing my Uncle I've been very lazy when it comes to my hair. I even noticed my flakes coming back. I guess that would be due to stress or maybe I am alergic to something, I am not so sure. At the same time I am iffy to visit a dermatologist, they may prescribe something that will burn off my hair. Ive had this experience before.
Back to my dry hair. So it was dry and horrible looking. I decided to try some aloe vera that I got from my Granny, mixed with some olive oil, very simple, all natural and effective. Aloe vera can help in so many many things, skin care, air care, using as an internal cleanser etc. Most of all it can be grown in your back yard.
I got 2 leaves, allowed it to drain off
Cut of the pricks
Cut one side
Use a spoon to extract clear meat
Threw it in the blender until it turned to liquid
Put some in a bowl, added the olive oil
Stirred it
Apply it all over my dry hair.
Instantly I felt the softness. This can get messy, as well as the aloe may stain your clothing.
I kept it on for about 2 hours, then washed it out with nunaat shampoo and conditioner
Shortest Wash Day
Shortest Wash Day
 |
| Cut leaves, let them drain. Cut the sides, use spoon to remove meat |
 |
| Place in a blender, blend til smooth, add olive oil |
 |
| My very dry tangled hair |
 |
| It was very runny, |
 |
| Instant softness, and detangles |
Wednesday 27 March 2013
Does Genes Have anything do with hair growth
Hair grows on average half inch a month. Personally, my hair grows less than half inch a month. My hair based on the hair chart, is 4C. Blogs and other sites say that due to the coily nature of afro textured hair it may seem to grow at a slower rate. Because of the kinks and tight curls, and excessive dryness because the natural oils have too much curls to contend with, it cant be moisturized as it should. This actually makes it a lot more difficult for someone with 4C hair to retain length, and are required to have a more rigid regimen, including deep conditioning, protective styling etc.
It is often said that the secret to beautiful lustrous hair is maintaining a healthy diet, drinking lots of water, exercising on a regular, having a hair care regimen that includes a regular deep conditioning, protein treatment, and lots of moisture is what is required to have healthy hair. I did my big chop in May of last year, and in 10 months, I am only seeing 4 inches worth of growth, that I am very excited about. I've seen persons with different textures than mine, cut their hair, and it grew past mine. If I should ask one of these persons what they do. You may hear them proudly say, its the Indian in my blood. And no I don't take offence to statements like these.
Now I know many of you may disagree with me when I say this but, I am being real, YES, that person may be right, it may just be that mixture in their gene that is contributing to the fact that their hair may be able to retain more length than mine. I'm drawing these conclusions mainly on observation, nothing scientific. Looking around, observing the different ethnicity Caucasian, Chinese, Indian, even the ones that are mixed, and the rate that their hair "grows" or retain length, doesn't this have to do with their genetic make up?
I recently watched a documentary of persons in India, some of these persons are living off less than $1 US per day. They do not have access to proper water, proper food, how are they going to get the strength to exercise, where are they going to get money from to spend on deep conditioning treatments and all that is said to achieve healthy hair, yet they have hair down to their butts that they are able to cut all their hair off and sell it! Ever heard of Indian Remy? Then, they comment that they don't worry because in no time it will grow back. Can I do that with my 4C afro hair? NO I cant, why would I even think of doing that after I worked so hard to get my hair at my ear?
Looking at our different textures, I will not say that Africans have the worst hair. Based on how I was cultured, African hair would be considered 4C hair, the coiliest of them all. Now, doing research and seeing how huge Africa really is and the wide variety of cultures, I no longer think in such shallow terms. At one time in my life, when I thought about Africa, I thought about thatch houses, and tribes, and people with hair that looked like a mat, people running around with some spear things on their you know what. Fortunately that notion has left my head. I have come to accept my hair for what it is, not associating its nature with a country but see it as pure Kinky Coily awesomeness!
I ran into an article on Black Girl Long Hair http://blackgirllonghair.com/2013/03/ending-our-association-of-long-hair-with-mixed-heritage/comment-page-2/#comment-564549 speaking about ending the association of long hair with mixed heritage. Now, my paternal grandmother's grandfather is a white man. So is my paternal Grandfather, his grandfather is white. When I look on my mother's side, her great great grandmother is white woman, her grandmother is dark a midnight with curly soft hair. See where I am going with all the confusion? LOL I'm Jamaican by the way, and we were once an English colony, and this mixture may have occured due to rape or mutual consent, Do I consider myself 100% black? Yes I do, even though I know that i may be about 10% percent white. We always say that the white genes has watered down, not like some white folks that came up with the one drop rule. LOL.
Also, the majority of Jamaicans don't have the slightest idea of how to care for their hair, we over process it, cuz we want our hair bone straight and laid, like the "coolie" persons.We drag on our edges too tight, because we want it to be very neat, we play tug o war with our hair while dry, everything done wrong, resulting in maximum breakage and hair loss.
When my hair type it met upon, you would hear things like " no likkle mixture, just the raw born African". Yet my brothers would hear that they are mixed with something. The article pointed out that we all are mixed, but who has time to claim that? Its the same way how my Dad has bluish grey eyes, and he is Blacker than black. Back to the distribution of genes, and of course how God purposed it to be.
The article, it brought me back to the silly controversy that started up when Melanie Fiona mentioned that she is part Indian Portuguese and some other race, so she has a good mix for growth. She did not lie. She does, or maybe she should have said she has a good mix for length retention. Afro textured hair does grow, without a doubt, but as we all know because of how coily and kinky it is, it may seem to grow slowly or is stunted, also, it breaks easier, its weaker and takes a lot more effort to be successful. We dont need to bash them, love them for their difference, point out the positives in our texture. When cared right, we can have the full-ness of shrinkage, we can do twists out. whatever! Its all in the technique!
I think we need to just accept our hair for what it is. My brothers have 3c and 4a hair type and I have 4c maybe even 5a. We have the same parents. I am lighter than they are, we have our own unique features that we got from our parents and those features they So should I say that genes doesn't play a role? Of course it did. Maybe some of that white gene caught them, and by the time I came in the picture, all of it left....I dunno. :-)
But this did affect me in a negative way? Initally it did, I wanted their hair. And maybe my life would be a lot different. Yes I must admit that at times I wish I could just wash n go, and dash my hair about in the wind like those 3C/4A chicks, they make it look sooo easy... But accepting 4C hair for what it is will make you accept so much more in life. Accept the struggles we face daily. Accept limitations, but then why do you need limitations? Its your hair rock it how you want it, with all the confidence in the world. And if someone says to you, why is your hair like that....Dont be afraid to credit your genes!
It is often said that the secret to beautiful lustrous hair is maintaining a healthy diet, drinking lots of water, exercising on a regular, having a hair care regimen that includes a regular deep conditioning, protein treatment, and lots of moisture is what is required to have healthy hair. I did my big chop in May of last year, and in 10 months, I am only seeing 4 inches worth of growth, that I am very excited about. I've seen persons with different textures than mine, cut their hair, and it grew past mine. If I should ask one of these persons what they do. You may hear them proudly say, its the Indian in my blood. And no I don't take offence to statements like these.
Now I know many of you may disagree with me when I say this but, I am being real, YES, that person may be right, it may just be that mixture in their gene that is contributing to the fact that their hair may be able to retain more length than mine. I'm drawing these conclusions mainly on observation, nothing scientific. Looking around, observing the different ethnicity Caucasian, Chinese, Indian, even the ones that are mixed, and the rate that their hair "grows" or retain length, doesn't this have to do with their genetic make up?
I recently watched a documentary of persons in India, some of these persons are living off less than $1 US per day. They do not have access to proper water, proper food, how are they going to get the strength to exercise, where are they going to get money from to spend on deep conditioning treatments and all that is said to achieve healthy hair, yet they have hair down to their butts that they are able to cut all their hair off and sell it! Ever heard of Indian Remy? Then, they comment that they don't worry because in no time it will grow back. Can I do that with my 4C afro hair? NO I cant, why would I even think of doing that after I worked so hard to get my hair at my ear?
Looking at our different textures, I will not say that Africans have the worst hair. Based on how I was cultured, African hair would be considered 4C hair, the coiliest of them all. Now, doing research and seeing how huge Africa really is and the wide variety of cultures, I no longer think in such shallow terms. At one time in my life, when I thought about Africa, I thought about thatch houses, and tribes, and people with hair that looked like a mat, people running around with some spear things on their you know what. Fortunately that notion has left my head. I have come to accept my hair for what it is, not associating its nature with a country but see it as pure Kinky Coily awesomeness!
I ran into an article on Black Girl Long Hair http://blackgirllonghair.com/2013/03/ending-our-association-of-long-hair-with-mixed-heritage/comment-page-2/#comment-564549 speaking about ending the association of long hair with mixed heritage. Now, my paternal grandmother's grandfather is a white man. So is my paternal Grandfather, his grandfather is white. When I look on my mother's side, her great great grandmother is white woman, her grandmother is dark a midnight with curly soft hair. See where I am going with all the confusion? LOL I'm Jamaican by the way, and we were once an English colony, and this mixture may have occured due to rape or mutual consent, Do I consider myself 100% black? Yes I do, even though I know that i may be about 10% percent white. We always say that the white genes has watered down, not like some white folks that came up with the one drop rule. LOL.
Also, the majority of Jamaicans don't have the slightest idea of how to care for their hair, we over process it, cuz we want our hair bone straight and laid, like the "coolie" persons.We drag on our edges too tight, because we want it to be very neat, we play tug o war with our hair while dry, everything done wrong, resulting in maximum breakage and hair loss.
When my hair type it met upon, you would hear things like " no likkle mixture, just the raw born African". Yet my brothers would hear that they are mixed with something. The article pointed out that we all are mixed, but who has time to claim that? Its the same way how my Dad has bluish grey eyes, and he is Blacker than black. Back to the distribution of genes, and of course how God purposed it to be.
The article, it brought me back to the silly controversy that started up when Melanie Fiona mentioned that she is part Indian Portuguese and some other race, so she has a good mix for growth. She did not lie. She does, or maybe she should have said she has a good mix for length retention. Afro textured hair does grow, without a doubt, but as we all know because of how coily and kinky it is, it may seem to grow slowly or is stunted, also, it breaks easier, its weaker and takes a lot more effort to be successful. We dont need to bash them, love them for their difference, point out the positives in our texture. When cared right, we can have the full-ness of shrinkage, we can do twists out. whatever! Its all in the technique!
I think we need to just accept our hair for what it is. My brothers have 3c and 4a hair type and I have 4c maybe even 5a. We have the same parents. I am lighter than they are, we have our own unique features that we got from our parents and those features they So should I say that genes doesn't play a role? Of course it did. Maybe some of that white gene caught them, and by the time I came in the picture, all of it left....I dunno. :-)
But this did affect me in a negative way? Initally it did, I wanted their hair. And maybe my life would be a lot different. Yes I must admit that at times I wish I could just wash n go, and dash my hair about in the wind like those 3C/4A chicks, they make it look sooo easy... But accepting 4C hair for what it is will make you accept so much more in life. Accept the struggles we face daily. Accept limitations, but then why do you need limitations? Its your hair rock it how you want it, with all the confidence in the world. And if someone says to you, why is your hair like that....Dont be afraid to credit your genes!
Monday 25 February 2013
Throw Back- Transition attempt
I found some old pics of me at around 13 years old when I attempted to transition. OMG that was crazeeee. I had wanted so much to be able to from straight to natural like those days where my hair was pressed. I was only 5 years old when that started. I loved when my mom washed my hair on Saturdays and it would go back to being natural, and shrunken and if she had time she'd give me some wicked corm row styles that everyone would rave about. At that time, even tho I vaguely remember, but I thought my hair was just DOPE!
I wanted that so badly! Those feelings were mixed tho, the down side, I could NOT stand the tugging while it was being combed, I was soooo tender headed! So when my mom decided to let me grow off my heat damaged ends, she had my hair processed with kiddies creme at 6. And that was it!
It wasnt done every 2 months or so, she also braided it, or sent me to get it braided and I picked up a nasty fungus and the shampoo used to kill that fungus, burned my hair off. I was sad, and it was a struggle to grow back. I wore braids during all age school and my hair regained its thickness, somewhat.
Then came High School, I could no longer wear braids, and wanting to fit in, I had my hair processed every six weeks! That was just crazeeeeeeee! Then came the breakage and frustration, Imagine going thru puberty and hair problems at the same time! So i decided to Transition! LOL at 12 going 13, with no knowledge, NUTN! I did it for a few months, my mom corn rowed my hair in various styles, but because it was so short, I added a little piece of hair to it, so that it was long enough to be pulled back in a scrunchie, and what do you know??? The teachers were paying microscopically close attention to my hair and I got caught! Sent home for my parents. I was mad! That weekend I went and got a relaxer.
I hated my hair, hated my mom for choosing a man with nappy hair, hated my dad for choosing a woman with nappy hair, hated them for cursing me with this hair! From then on I never felt the urge to back to natural, never cared about damage, I damaged it on purpose. Color, heat, relaxers, too tight braids....Id just cut it if I was fed up.
Im emancipated now tho, set free from the bondage of the creamy crack and is on a DOPE ASS natural hair journey...YAY!
I wanted that so badly! Those feelings were mixed tho, the down side, I could NOT stand the tugging while it was being combed, I was soooo tender headed! So when my mom decided to let me grow off my heat damaged ends, she had my hair processed with kiddies creme at 6. And that was it!
It wasnt done every 2 months or so, she also braided it, or sent me to get it braided and I picked up a nasty fungus and the shampoo used to kill that fungus, burned my hair off. I was sad, and it was a struggle to grow back. I wore braids during all age school and my hair regained its thickness, somewhat.
Then came High School, I could no longer wear braids, and wanting to fit in, I had my hair processed every six weeks! That was just crazeeeeeeee! Then came the breakage and frustration, Imagine going thru puberty and hair problems at the same time! So i decided to Transition! LOL at 12 going 13, with no knowledge, NUTN! I did it for a few months, my mom corn rowed my hair in various styles, but because it was so short, I added a little piece of hair to it, so that it was long enough to be pulled back in a scrunchie, and what do you know??? The teachers were paying microscopically close attention to my hair and I got caught! Sent home for my parents. I was mad! That weekend I went and got a relaxer.
I hated my hair, hated my mom for choosing a man with nappy hair, hated my dad for choosing a woman with nappy hair, hated them for cursing me with this hair! From then on I never felt the urge to back to natural, never cared about damage, I damaged it on purpose. Color, heat, relaxers, too tight braids....Id just cut it if I was fed up.
Im emancipated now tho, set free from the bondage of the creamy crack and is on a DOPE ASS natural hair journey...YAY!
Saturday 23 February 2013
Thursday 14 February 2013
Beautiful Textures vs African Pride (Test Results)
So I finally did the actual comparison with the 2 products and there' s absolutely no difference. Both products are wonderful and actually made my twist feel real juicy, I undid the twist and got some wicked curls... These products give great twist out on my hair, works better than when I add them with gel.
I shot the video, but editing it takes long... hehehehe.. I"ll put it up soon. here are some pics...
I shot the video, but editing it takes long... hehehehe.. I"ll put it up soon. here are some pics...
Monday 4 February 2013
Beautiful Textures vs African Pride
So, in the beginning of my now 7 month Journey I purchased Beautiful Textures "Moisture Butter, Whipped Curl Creme" It says "Intense Moisture" and that was I needed, it also says it would elongate curls. At that time, all I wanted were waves, n curls, not really understanding that my texture was to tightly coiled, so getting those waves were almost impossible without a texturizer. I must say it did make my hair soft. I used it for my twists and finger coils along with my gel.
As my hair grew and I tried different products, I stopped using it. No reason, I still have half jar left. I saw on FB a curl kit, with African Pride "Shea Butter Miracle Buttery Creme" It says Moisture Intense. Now when I saw the results of some juicy twists and twist outs achieved by this I wanted it badly, I saw that the texture of the ladies hair were a bit different than mine, but I thought I would get some similar result. I opened the African Pride Jar, and the smell that hit me, was soooo similar, I knew that I smelled that smell somewhere. I continued to use it, it was ok when i did my twist too, with gel also kept my hair somewhat juicy. But the smell, kept tingling my nose.
Going thru my box of products I ran into the Beautiful Textures, I opened it, and BAM!!! the smell hit me, I took up my African Pride, and theeee same exact smell. Not only was the smell the same, I read the ingredients, they were the same too, listed the same exact way. They are even manufactured in the same factory. Now I personally take no offence to this, its marketing, both products are great, n the prices arent bad. Even tho I never used it alone to see the full potential, they are products I'd buy again,
What I plan on doing tho is a vid, using the BT on one side and AP on one side, just to see if my mind will play tricks on me, and one will work better than the other, What really kicked me in the ass tho...The Beautiful Textures jar is 8 oz for $650 JMD thats about $6.50 USD, the African Pride is 6oz jar for the same amount of money ahhhhh!!!! But hey, we live n we learn....
Look out for my vid...
AfroChicMocha
As my hair grew and I tried different products, I stopped using it. No reason, I still have half jar left. I saw on FB a curl kit, with African Pride "Shea Butter Miracle Buttery Creme" It says Moisture Intense. Now when I saw the results of some juicy twists and twist outs achieved by this I wanted it badly, I saw that the texture of the ladies hair were a bit different than mine, but I thought I would get some similar result. I opened the African Pride Jar, and the smell that hit me, was soooo similar, I knew that I smelled that smell somewhere. I continued to use it, it was ok when i did my twist too, with gel also kept my hair somewhat juicy. But the smell, kept tingling my nose.
Going thru my box of products I ran into the Beautiful Textures, I opened it, and BAM!!! the smell hit me, I took up my African Pride, and theeee same exact smell. Not only was the smell the same, I read the ingredients, they were the same too, listed the same exact way. They are even manufactured in the same factory. Now I personally take no offence to this, its marketing, both products are great, n the prices arent bad. Even tho I never used it alone to see the full potential, they are products I'd buy again,
What I plan on doing tho is a vid, using the BT on one side and AP on one side, just to see if my mind will play tricks on me, and one will work better than the other, What really kicked me in the ass tho...The Beautiful Textures jar is 8 oz for $650 JMD thats about $6.50 USD, the African Pride is 6oz jar for the same amount of money ahhhhh!!!! But hey, we live n we learn....
Look out for my vid...
AfroChicMocha
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