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Naturally Happy Hair - Summer 2013 Edition is out

11/6/2013

 
The Summer Edition of Naturally Happy Hair magazine is out! I contributed to this one and you can read it alongside some other great articles at NaturallyHappyHair.com. Here are the first few lines of my article...

"I'll be the first to admit that holidays were a little simpler when my hair was relaxed. Now that I'm natural and only apply products that won't hurt my hair some pre-planning comes in useful. Here are the considerations for a natural haired girl:

1.     Convenience. Do you want to have a break from hair management too?
2.     Weather. What will the weather be like?
3.     Activities. Will you be swimming and therefore immersing your hair in salty or chlorinated water regularly?
4.     Products. How much and what should you take?!"

It's such a fun magazine and a great resource for naturals.
Take Me To Naturally Happy Hair
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Kinky Curly Curling Custard (KCCC) Review on 4C Hair

10/6/2013

 
I first tried to use KCCC when I was transitioning and I looked silly! The relaxed ends looked like a wet chicken's bum hairs! That was 2 years ago. I decided to see how it would look on my hair now.

1. It allowed a wash and go

The main benefits is that it allowed me to wash and go without twisting or plaiting my hair. Normally I don't do this because my hair shrinks to much make it much harder to handle on day two.

Importantly keep in mind that KCCC does NOT change your curl pattern. If your hair is kinky it will still look kinky NOT curly. My hair at the back is wavy not curly that's why you may have noticed the hair flopping into my neck whilst the hair at the front stands upright.

I get A LOT of email from people complaining that their hair is not developing a good curl pattern. Lots of 4C hair doesn't curl, it kinks and that is A-okay, learn to love it!

2. Dries fast and doesn't leave residue

I like that it dried reasonably fast without leaving white residues.

2. Reduced wash & go matting

KCCC also reduced the degree to which my hair gets matted when I go to bed especially when I wash and go.

That said, if you will need to do a protective style don't use KCCC because despite my beyond-shoulder length hair I could not bring my hair together. I need to re-wash an stretch my hair.
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White Parents, Black Kids - What To Do With The Hair

7/6/2013

 
This is obviously a very large topic but I will try to give my top tips on managing children's hair. I'm black (obviously) my husband is white; my brother is also married to a white woman so I am all for mixing of the races. I'm colour blind, however, I am not blind to how hair management differs between us. Here are some tips on managing black children's hair:

1. Don't shampoo and go! Don't shampoo too often!

White hair has a tendency towards greasiness. Because of this I have noted that my white family shampoo their hair and they frequently don't add anything to their hair after nor do they even use conditioner. They also wash their hair daily! This would be a recipe for disaster for black hair. 

The first characteristic of black hair is its tendency towards dryness. Sebum, the oil produced by the scalp travels easily down straight or wavy hair but it struggles to move done kinks, curls and coils; this is why black hair has a tendency towards dryness.

Shampoo is a detergent, it cleans hair but it also dries hair out by stripping it of any oils. Therefore my first two tips are:
  • You don't need to shampoo black hair daily, twice a week is plenty
  • Use a moisturising or sulfate-free shampoo to reduce the stripping effect - this is because sulfates are the strongest cleanser; dry hair needs something much milder like decyl glucoside or cocamidopropyl betaine (yes, I spelt that from memory: :))

2. Condition the hair

This is even more important than shampoo. If your child's hair isn't very dirty you can skip the shampoo all together and just wash the hair with conditioner. 

Always follows a shampoo with a conditioner if you do shampoo.

At least weekly use a "deep conditioner" and let the conditioner sit in the hair for 20 minutes or so.

3. Add a moisturiser to the hair regularly

I have noticed that my sister-in-law actually uses some kind of non-greasy "hair oil" at times. Whilst it's okay for her hair, black hair needs something much more moisturising.

What products should you use?

See the products I recommend on Amazon, under the "Children!" category.

But the hair feels oily?

That's okay, if you touch black hair you will frequently get some kind of product on your hands. Our hair doesn't have the same silky feel that white hair does; it feels like an exquisite cotton or wool. If there is too much oil on your hands then you should probably use a little less product.

4. How to style the hair

I know some people still look upon the afro as messy but it's okay to have afro hair. I have type 4C hair on most of my head and it doesn't take to curling very well so I prefer to wear it in an afro with scarves, hairbands and flowers to make it look nice. I accept and love my hair as it is but even some of my black friends will call it messy. 

It's so hard to comb though?!

When I started taking of natural hair I realised that the combing thing wasn't so necessary! Yes, I just said that. I use my fingers to comb and fluff my hair out and use combs less often. I usually comb through properly weekly when I do my deep condition. You can absolutely comb the hair but you need to section it and comb it bit by bit. Tips first. Moisturise with water and a leave in conditioner before combing.

Tired of combing and hair management? 

If you like the afro look then leave it like that! However, you can buy yourself a break from hair management by getting your child in cornrows or other plaits. Most people (black people included) take the child to a salon, a few do it themselves. This is of course something white children don't have to do, but going to a hair salon has been part of my life since I was very, very little.

For more creative styling tips check out Chocolate Hair Vanilla Care - it's an awesome site for inspiration and support.
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You might also like:
  • I am 100% African, what is my natural hair type?
  • Moisturising Shampoos: Why Are They Better Than Regular Shampoo?
  • 5 types of conditioner for natural hair and a frizz-free tip!
  • What Is The Best Leave-in Conditioner For Your Natural Hair?
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Secret Benefits of The Afro - The Good Lord Knew What He Was Doing For Sure!

6/6/2013

 
So, Harry and I go for a walk to the park and we take a route that we always avoid. We come across a bed with a note saying take it and I was like, "whatever, let someone else take it".

On the way back, over an hour later, the bed is STILL there so I decided it's fate, we have to take it! 

At first, I carried the bed's ends but they were quite heavy so we swapped and I took the base. Although it was lighter it was quite cumbersome to carry and the only place it felt comfortable was on my head. It just fell on the 'fro like a pillow! Here's how it went down!
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Monistat (miconazole nitrate) and hair growth - a vaginal cream with extra benefits!

5/6/2013

 
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Yes, this is a vaginal cream for people with a fungal infection in that area but some people have been using it for their hair!!!

What is the active ingredient in this?
Miconazole nitrate

What is miconazole nitrate designed for?
It has anti-fungal properties and is used to treat a variety of yeast infections including:
  • Athlete's foot
  • Jock itch
  • Oral thrush (only certain products)
  • Ring worms

How does monistat help with hair growth?

The hypothesis of Dr. Mohsin Mir, a medical dermatologist at Baylor College of Medicine is that miconazole nitrate might reduce the number of “hair loss” receptors, and this in turn reduces hair breakage leading to faster hair growth and better length retention.

According to WiseGeek.com,  it might work by dilating the blood vessels and increasing the supply of oxygen to the scalp.

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Are there any side effects? 

Yes! Reported side effects include:
  • Migraines
  • Burning, stinging, swelling, irritation, itching, redness, pimple-like bumps, tenderness in the area where the miconazole nitrate has been applied
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Dizziness
  • Extreme hair shedding once you stop using the treatment, and
  • A general feeling of discomfort

Should you try it?

I can see how it might be tempting but I would say, NO! It's a chemical that hasn't been approved for scalp use so why would you want to go there? If you want to grow your hair go for more natural methods like those discussed in What Type of Scalps Grow Long Hair?!

If you do use it read the usage and dosage instructions carefully. Importantly, note that it doesn't actually work on everyone!

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References:
WebMD. Drugs & Medications - miconazole nitrate
WiseGeek. How Effective Is Miconazole for Hair Growth?
BaylorClinic. Moshin Mir, MD


Why natural hair tips tend to be more dry & the solution!

3/6/2013

 
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Your hair tips are the oldest section of hair and therefore the most vulnerable to breakage, split ends and fraying. To stop this from happening you need to give the tips extra moisture. Even when your hair is in braids or twists hydrate the ends at least every other day with a hair cream or a leave-in conditioner.

New growth is much less vulnerable to dryness because sebum (the oil naturally produced by the scalp) can travel part of the way up the hair shaft. In addition, new growth is stronger and more resistant and protected from the elements.

In contrast, hair ends are more exposed and the kinks, curls and coils of natural black hair make it difficult for sebum to travel all the way to the tips. Here are some solutions:
  • For extra protection, bantu knot your twists so the ends are out of sight. 
  • When you venture out throw a hat or scarf on for extra end protection. 
  • Baggy the hair ends. Some people twist their hair into four sections at night and put a plastic bag over the hair ends to help condition them. The shorter your hair the more sections you'll need and vice versa.

Although new growth is less vulnerable, I personally encourage my hair to grow by massaging our essential oil infused hair oil, Neno Natural's Hair Growth Stimulator, into the scalp.

Even if you have braids with extra hair/mesh attached, treat the plaits as though they were your hair by spritzing daily and applying a leave-in condition conditioner, oil and cream regularly. Your ends will thank you by not breaking off!
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2-minute Puff on 4C hair Using A Scarf. An Alternative to the High Puff

1/6/2013

 
This is a quick and easy hair-do that you can do on shrunken, stretched or twisted hair. Using a scarf helps to ensure that your edges aren't pulled to tightly.
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    I now blog about wealth creation - so if you have any money questions meet me there, you can do all sorts of cool things like leave me a voicemail.
    Follow @NenoNatural
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    By Heather Katsonga-Woodward

    I was a natural hair blogger and mixtress living between London & Chicago from 2012 to 2017. I always thought I was 4C but some say 4B; images below - you decide! Heather xx

    p.s. I now blog about wealth and personal finance on my personal website.

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