They Say imitation is the best form of flattery.

As many of us embrace out roots and allow our hair to be a manifestation of who we truly are. Natural hair has become a trend that has begun to cross all barriers. When I went natural in 2001, I was looked upon as a rebel. I was thought to be deep and an activist, when in fact I was just tired of perming my hair and I wanted to understand what my hair was! We are now met with images in the media depicting natural hair as beautiful, but I was taken aback to see that instead of going to the salon to get the natural kinks and curls removed from the hair, there were people going to the salon to add them.

Asian have always enjoyed the American culture and have often chosen some of our hottest trends to mimic in their everyday lives, but changing your hair in order to grow an Afro, or rock braids, is a hot new trend that has taken over. Because Asian hair grows naturally straight, the afro perm gives the hair a textured look. The afro perm is not an actual relaxer or perm kit, it's the use of perm rods to make the hair curly. The beautydepot.com says, "An afro perm is made by not straightening the hair. It is made by creating hair bonds that make the hair curl. The hair stylist makes the hair into a new shape, using perming rods or rollers, and allows the new shape to develop."

This trend for the Asian community is actually my life, something that I can’t change, am I flattered or am I disturbed? As I go through countless pictures, I am a bit amused and can understand why they would want to display the natural hair styles. The styles are cute and spunky!  As our communities begin to embrace our hair in its natural state, can we embrace ourselves?  I ponder over the pictures and begin to feel a scene of pride that finally, someone wants hair that looks like mine. Now there are afro wigs and kinky curls pieces that are selling like hot cakes. It’s a celebration of natural hair. I think that I can accept that!

As natural hair begin to be depicted as professional, exciting and even sexy, this gives everyone a chance to embrace their hair. It really makes me happy when I see a Latina with her tight curls or a sister with big gorgeous curls or sister locks, standing next to a girl with an Afro. These are the images that I see everyday hair in its natural state. So I am excited to be imitated and depicted as being the hair that everyone wants!

Wash and Go style with a Braided head band

Hola Chicas,

I am excited that it is Friday, since I am doing the protective style I decided to reach into my vault and review a cool twist on my wash and go hair style.  

When I wake up in the Morning I take a shower and co-wash my hair, most of the time I will use She Moisture curl enhancer and eco styling gel and I have great bouncy curls. I walk out of the house and my hair slowly begins to get bigger. By the end of the day, I am usually a chia pet and I quietly put my hair in a bun. I don’t typically do twist outs, but I really like how long they last, so I wanted to create the same curls using a wet and go style, only I wanted to get a longer wear time out of it so. That means more product, but I get the hold and bounce that I need for it to last. 

 Here is what I do:

I co-wash my hair with Herbal Essence Honey I’m Strong. I have to say that this is the best detangler that I have used, it has great slip!

I then squeeze out the excess water gently with your hands. I section the hair off and shingle the hair with Shea Moisture, Eco Olive Oil gel and smooth and shine curl activator. It’s important to get an even amount on each strand. The purpose of each of the products is,  one for Moisture (She Moisture), One for oil/Moisture (Smooth and shine curl activator) and one for hold (eco styling gel), shingling will allow every strand to receive the product. Once I have completed that I section the hair in 4 and place the lotta body mouse on the hair because it seals in the moisture and style it.

The twist is, I part my hair on the front were I would normally part my bang and I braid it and use it as a head band.

The key to getting long wear from the style is to completly dry the hair. I like to use a diffuser in order to get more volume, but I have found if I leave the hair in place I get more wear out of it, and I can have my volume the 3^rd  or 4^th day.

I have gotten 3 days out of this style and its poofy thereafter, but I can add aloe vera juice and olive oil with a spray bottle and I get rid of the frizz, but I have to do this everyday.

Enjoy your weekend!

What is my go to Product?

I have gone through every product that has come out and I love them all, but as I am growing out my hair I have two thing that I use as an everyday routine and that is Shea moisture curl enhancing smoothie and  eco olive oil styling gel. The she moisture is not greasy and it is perfect when I want to lay my edges down or when I want to use it as a wash and go. My goal is to keep my hair moisturized without it being greasy and I get that with the shay moisture.

How do I us it:

1. I co-wash my hair and detangle.

2. On wet hair I shingle shea Moisture and eco styling gel into my hair then let it air dry.

I get soft curls that I love!

The Attack of the half wig

So, I am challenging myself to grow my hair out and because of my profession I have chosen a half wig to help out with the monotony of protective styles, but as I wear this thing every day, I grow more and more disenchanted. I miss my hair, I miss seeing my hair. I almost feel like I am cheating on my natural hair journey.  Last night I went to work out and I plopped the wig on knowing that It would be hot and scratchy. I began to recent it, and even plot ways of destroying it, but wait it is good to me. I get dressed in under 10 minutes every day, it’s really cute, and it kind of looks like my hair, so why do I hate it so much.  I have secret thoughts of ripping it off and going into a dance waving it in the air singing,  “If I can, make it there, then I can, make it anywhere, New York, New York, New York, Neeeewwwwwww Yoooooork” , High kicks and all……but then I remember all of the benefits I am getting from not manipulating my hair and keeping my ends buried neatly under the wig, ******sigh****** I have got to get a plan for professional protective style with low maintenance…stay tuned!

Shingling the hair

Hola Chicas,

I have had so many e-mails from you guys with questions about my hair, and I have tried to answer them all, but the biggest question I have gotten is what is shingling. This is a term I first heard from the Miss Jessie group. I shingle my hair by placing it in 4 sections and taking a rat tooth comb and party the hair in small sections to add product to me hair. This is a way to ensure that the product is on every strand. Attached is a video on shingling the hair.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g02R7n77kHQ