Hairstyles

Hairstyles

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Black Face and Afros: Paying Homage or Insulting our Culture



I have always been a fan of Afros, since the days of Pam Grier as Foxy Brown. She was sassy, quick witted and sexy! Afro’s were always a prideful thing for me and represented beauty, and an indulgence of once heritage.



As we start the Halloween season, Pimp outfits and Foxy brown replicas complete with the wigs and white patent leather boots are the top sold costumes. Yesterday my husband and I went into the Halloween shop, and they had 8 different types of Afro wigs, and braided wigs. I chuckled at bit and thought, have the natural revolution transcended, even the Halloween market.  









 Wow everyone wants to cash in on the whole “Natural thing”.  As I walk through the isle to find, braided wigs with beads, Men’s Afros with side burns, a lump formed in my throat. There was a wig with hair pick in it with the prominent fist on it that signified pride. But do these outfit pay homage or are they insulting to a culture of struggle and pride. 


Recently, the news has been on fire because of the costumesa group of White Florida residences decided to wear. They were dressed as Trayvon Martin and Zimmerman. 


Caitlin Cimeno Posted the pix with a caption of “just for fun”. How can this tragedy be fun.

A group of girls tweeted themselves in “black face” and stated that they were going to be “n*ggas for Halloween.


Julianna Hough was recently slammed for wearing Black face, Bantu Knots and a prison outfit.

So what is the fascination of dressing in Blackface? Is this Flattery or Mockery?

Blackface is a form of theatrical makeup used in minstrel shows, and later vaudeville, in which performers create a stereotyped caricature of a black person. The practice gained popularity during the 19th century and contributed to the proliferation of stereotypes such as the "happy-go-lucky darky on the plantation" or the "dandified coon".  In 1848, blackface minstrel shows were an American national art of the time, translating formal art such as opera into popular terms for a general audience. Early in the 20th century, blackface branched off from the minstrel show and became a form in its own right, until it ended in the United States with the U.S. Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. 

Blackface  


These Black face depictions solidified stereotypes and were degrading and in the least  are very unflattering.
So as we prepare for the Halloween season, are we flattered to see Afros and side burns, or is it a blatant depiction of the stereo types that are placed on every culture?



Friday, October 25, 2013

Do we really accept our hair in its natural state: Twitter Bashes Blue Ivy’s hair.






Beyonce, known for her cutting edge style and incredible vocals, has been in the news for more than just her singing. Recently, slide remarks have been made concerning how Blue Ivy, her adorable daughter, has a striking resemblance to her father Jay Z, and even worse remarks concerning her hair.








 Bossip posted a slew of remarks that show such distaste for the child’s natural hair. Are these remarks suggestion that we don’t like natural hair? Many of the pictures depict the child wearing her naturally textured TWA, as well as recent pictures with her hair in wild twist. Many of the styles are reminiscent of some of the styles I see so many naturals wearing in my network. So what is the issue? If she had silky curly hair or straight hair would this be less of a problem, or is this an issue of wanting to see the child made up in stylish clothes and hair like her mother.  I can remember my mom always in disagreement with a parent that was dressed to impress and the child was dirty and mangled.  Many of the remarks have asked Beyonce to comb the child’s hair, or have asked,” why won’t do something to the child’s hair”. What are your thoughts are we really ready to see all woman wearing their natural hair in 4a, b and c, textures or are we    still caught up in Hollywood’s standards?









See Bossip's story:






Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Wearing a Second day "wash n go" and keeping your bouncy curls.






I have decided to wear protective styling all winter and not wearing my hair out more than 2 days per week. This weekend I co-washed, and detangled my hair with Shea Moisture enhancing smoothie, Eco styling gel and glycerin. I allowed my hair to air dry and this is what my hair looked like.


 I decided that I wanted to get a second day out or theses curls. My hair dried into a bushy bunch of curls. And this is what they looked like.



I don’t really like the pineapple method, because it usually stretches my curls and I have waves the next day, and I am going for a curlier look. So, I tried the pineapple using a knee high stocking.  I decided to use the stocking because it allowed for the hair to be gathered very close to my head, and the loose curls were not stretched or flattened because they were on the top of my head. I then folded the ends under, and smoothed down the fronts for my styling in the morning, and then I covered it with a satin hair bonnet.

 

I got really big perfect hair. The back became a bit frizzy because my hair was not completely dry, when I do this again, I will sit under the dryer in low heat to get the hair completely dry.




 My hair the next morning held its shape and curl. I took olive oil and rubbed it into my hands and fluffed my hair back into the style. Here are my final results:

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

10 essential foods that help to grow you hair: Part 3-Zinc




As we explore key things to add to our diet to promote hair growth, it important to understand that eating healthy should be a lifestyle change that will promote growth in not just your hair but your health. Today I want to talk about Zinc.  

Zinc accelerates the renewal of the skin cells. Zinc creams are used for babies to soothe diaper rash and to heal cuts and wounds. Zinc has also proven effective in treating acne, a problem that affects especially adolescents, and zinc has been reported to have a positive effect on psoriasis and neurodermitis.

Oysters are rich in zinc, a lack of which can lead to hair loss (even in your eyelashes), as well as a dry, flaky scalp. Three ounces has a whopping 493% of your daily value. You can get some zinc through fortified cereals and whole grain breads, but oysters can boast a good level of protein too. "Remember, hair is about 97% protein,". Without enough protein, your body can't replace the hairs that you naturally shed every day and what you do make can be dry, brittle, or weak.
I am not an oyster fan but zinc can be found in Scallops, Spinach and Sesame Seeds.

Here is a link about zinc:

 Here is a great recipe that is high in Zinc:



Seared Sea Scallops Over Wilted Spinach

Sea scallops are quick and easy to cook, but like shrimp, you must be careful not to overcook them. Frozen sea scallops work well here (I used Trader Joe's Jumbo Sea Scallops). Defrost them overnight in the refrigerator, then very gently squeeze and pat them dry before cooking.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 13 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 pound sea scallops, patted dry
  • Pinch salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup minced shallots
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 10 ounce bag baby spinach
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preparation:

Heat oil on medium-high heat in large heavy skillet. Add scallops and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes per side.
Remove scallops and keep warm.
Add shallots and stir; add wine to deglaze the pan, scraping bits from the bottom, then add spinach. Cook for 2 minutes, until wilted. Add lemon juice.
Divide spinach among four plates and top with warm scallops.
Serves Four

Monday, October 14, 2013

Making the braid out texture last.




I have typically placed my hair in a pineapple in order to maintain the curls. However, the pineapples tends to elongate my curls, giving me waves and I want bushy big curls. So I have began to use olive oil, Shea moisture curling custard, and a small amount of eco styling gel on dry hair.
First I take Shea moisture and rub it into my hand until it almost disappears, then I rub that through the section. Be sure not to overly disturb the curls. Then I take an eraser size amount of eco and olive oil and distribute it in each section. Doing this separately will keep the hair from turning white. I then place the hair in 4 braids and rod the ends.
The next day I unbraid them and my hair is ready to go.  My hair is shiny, it bounces and the curls are perfect. On Sunday I'm going to deep condition my hair then back to protective styling.





Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Question of the day: How did you get that shine?



Questions:
How did you get that shine? I'm thinking about dying my hair to jet black so I can get some shine in it.

Answer:
Dull hair is a sign of damaged cuticles or very porous hair. When the layers of the cuticle are tightly knit together, the light is able to reflect off the cuticle. This is what makes hair shine!       
Cuticles can be damaged from chemical, heat, manipulation as well as Iron deficiency and thyroid problems.                         


The term porous comes from the mineral world: to describe rocks. When it has an infinite number of small pores that make it permeable to humidity. Porous hair comes from a deterioration of its cuticle, which no longer plays its role of a natural barrier, in front of the cortex. The more the cuticle is altered, even sometimes destroyed, the more the cortex’s keratin easily ‘gets wet’ and loses its compactness causing it to look dull.

A simple remedy is to try an Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse. 

Here is how to make the rinse:

1 Part  Apple Cider Vinegar into 1 Part filtered tap water.
Apply the vinegar rinse after a cowash and then rinse it all out (the smell will go away as the hair dries).

Rinse with cold water, cold water closes the cuticle, then seal your ends with a leave in conditioner and then an oil. The Vinegar removes scaly build-up and residue from hair shafts and closes the cuticles. Since residue coats the hair causing it to look dull, removing residue gives your hair more shine. By closing the cuticles, the hair slides more easily and there will be fewer tangles. Vinegar has a tonic action that promotes blood circulation in the small capillaries that irrigate the skin. The Leave in conditioner and oil will seal the ends.  

 Healthy closed Cuticle.