Diary of an Honest Naturalista: Week 117

As a lady with natural hair, one word I have never stopped hearing is moisture. Everywhere you go, every blog you open, someone is always screaming moisture into your e-hears.

One would think that with all the shouts of moisture, ladies will be agitating to moisturise that hair everyday, but reality sets in, and laziness plays its role. Unfortunately, I am one of its victims. I tried as much as possible to moisturise my hair once a week, and that was it.

My hair grew, but I knew it could be better if I just put in a little more effort. So I decided to take the little things serious, and I started with moisture. I started moisturising my hair every morning, by spraying with water and oil mix, before LOCing.

While in standing front of my mirror last week, and getting ready for work, my mum barged into my room, in her usual fashion, intending to ask me something, when she stopped short.

She looked at me, looked at my hair, and stooped to look into my face to make sure I was the one. She was so dramatic in her movement that I wondered what was wrong.

“Anna, is this you?”

I didn’t even answer

“Is this your hair?”

Again, I didn’t answer.

“Anna, your hair is shining o. It looks so strong and elastic. It doesn’t even look like your real hair. What did you do to it?”

I didn’t need a prophet to confirm what she was saying. I was on medium sized twists, and had been admiring my hair in the mirror. The difference in length and health was amazing. My hair had really improved since I started moisturising daily. I was really impressed.

“I didn’t do anything to it. Just the usual.” I said, willing her to leave me, and go away so I could get ready for work.

“Are you sure?” She eyed me. “Or are there some hormones you people are now pumping into your bodies to make your hair shine like this. You know all you naturalistas, there is nothing you cannot do just for this hair of yours.”

“Mummy, I am not doing anything. I need to wear my clothes, and leave for work.”

“Ehn, wear your clothes now. Abi you are not covering body for me. What are you covering for your mother? Is it not me that saw your nakedness all the time you knew nothing? Or is it part of your natural hair rules that if your mother sees you naked, your hair will not grow again?”

Oh gosh, my mum couldn’t just stop.

Source

First it was hormones, now it is nakedness. She just found a way of turning every topic back to my hair. I looked at the time, I was going to be late if I wasn’t careful. I went into my wardrobe, took my dress and underwear, and walked out, straight into the bathroom, leaving my mum in my room, with her drama as she watched me.

“Okay o. You can go. Maybe your daughter will also hide her nakedness from you in future just because she wants her hair to grow.” She said with defeat.

Whatever mehn. My mum can say whatever she wants to say. The good news is that daily moisturising of my hair is making a whole lot of difference, and not even my mum’s drama can put a shade on that.

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Win monthly on African Naturalistas Hall of Fame

Ok, I am very excited. Can you tell already? We just like giving away things. We are very generous like that on African Naturalistas.

Remember the Hall of Fame winnings we did last year? We are doing it again. And this time, it is even better, as we will be rewarding people every month. All you need to do is comment and win. That's all. So every top commenter for a month wins products once that month is over, and will be celebrated.

It is very easy to win. Just comment regularly, and topple the person on top of you. You can monitor your comment counts on the Hall of Fame gadget on the right. But know that the fact that you were a winner the previous month doesn't mean you will win the next month, as the gadget has been set to only count your comments in the past 30 days.

For example, looking at the gadget below

Ellen is the highest commenter for this month thus far, and Rae Talks will have to drop three more comments to topple her, which really isn't so hard to do. In fact, it is not hard to drop 11 comments in 10 minutes if you are not even on the list.

Ever since we did 12 months of giveaway, I have been looking forward to another monthly giveaway, and I am glad it's finally here.

So let's get winning. It is as transparent as can be. Remember that you can always monitor your comment count by looking on the right. And yes, we will be giving out shampoos and conditioners every month.

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DIY LOUNGE : HOW I PLAN TO GROW MY NATURAL HAIR

 Most of you guys (if not all) don't know I'm just 3 months post BIG CHOP, 4 months post relaxer and like every new natural, I'm curious (not so much anymore though). I have read all the readable, watch every YouTube video,  read every hair regimen I could find and visited every natural hair blog I can!

 Sometimes, I learn, sometimes it's a pure waste of time and other times, I'm left a lot more confused.Well, in all these regimens,videos and blogs, what I've realised is that the basic and most important steps in every hair regimen or hustle to grow that hair

is to CLEAN, CONDITION, MOISTURISE AND SEAL AND THEN STYLE.  That is the summary of all the videos on YouTube and epistles on Internet, clean and treat your hair! 

So, today I'm going to be sharing how I plan to grow my hair over the year (yea, I meant my regimen) 

               ENJOY/ LEARN / CONTRIBUTE

MONTHLY REGIMEN

      MUD WASH : I plan to use this instead of my shampoo, by doing this, I don't have to be scared   of my hair being stripped of anything. Plus, in one wash, I would be clarifying, cleaning, conditioning, moisturising and then I would seal with my beloved Shea butter.

PRODUCTS : a. Bentonite clay (from African naturalistas store)

                        b. APPLE CIDER VINEGAR (from African naturalistas store )

                       c. Carrier oil ( almond oil)

                       d. Whipped Shea butter ( par moi)

WEEKLY REGIMEN

            a. Cowash with my BEAUTY FORMULAS tea tree deep nourishing conditioner,apply my          leave in and seal with my darling Shea butter

            b. Install short term protective hairstyle

            c. Deep condition with my AFRICAN NATURALISTAS  deep conditioning mayonnaise

DAILY REGIME

            a. Spritz morning and before bed with my water and oil mixture.

            b. Apply castor oil by AFRICAN NATURALISTAS to my edges,sides and back,morning and night...

In addition to all these, I plan to finger detangle, protect my ends (moisturise and seal with my Shea butter mix), never install long term protective style (would mat(didi) my hair and take it down in a week) and always use my satin bonnet (SO HELP ME GOD)!

A clean and healthy scalp provides your hair the opportunity to thrive and I believe my regimen would give my scalp just what it needs and also keep it clean.... Would stick to all these and keep my fingers crossed.. 

What do you think about my regimen, any pointers, warnings, tips, cautions?

You know I always appreciate your questions and opinions,

So, see you at the comment section...

The Importance of a Natural Hair Oil Mix

By DiscoveringNatural

Let me first say, OIL IS NOT A MOISTURIZER. Many times, people mistaken the use of oils in their hair care regimen as a moisturizer. This is wrong. Oil should be used as a sealant, and when coupled with a liquid and moisturizer, it can aid in the retention of moisture in the hair.

Oil can also be used to cure a lot of scalp ailments. For example, dandruff, hair loss, itchiness, and so much more. Click here for some remedies for itchy scalp. It can also be used for a scalp massage to promote hair growth.



In addition, you can use this as pre-shampoo treatment or a hot oil treatment.




CREATING AN OIL MIX
When creating an oil mix, you should always do your research to make sure that oils that you mix together do not conflict with each other. Always start with having a carrier oil such as Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Avocado oil, Grapeseed Oil. Although Extra Virgin Coconut oil is a carrier oil, I do not mix it in our daily oil mix, I use it separately, because it has a tendency of solidifying in colder temperature. After adding your carrier oil, which should be the larger amount than any other oils added, include some essential oils that have purpose. Always create oil mix depending on what is going on with your hair.


WHAT IS OUR OIL MIX
When I create an oil mix for my girls and I, I make enough to last the month. Here is a sample of what is in our oil mix. Sometimes, we do not add all these oils, it depends on what is going on with our hair.


EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
nourish, condition and improve the strength and elasticity ...
CASTOR OIL
growth and thickness
JOJOBA OIL
shine, dry scalp, penetrating oil
GRAPESEED OIL
heat protectant
SWEET ALMOND OIL
fights breakage
LAVENDER, ROSEMARY, PEPPERMINT OIL
hair growth
EUCALYPTUS OIL
lice prevention
MORINGA OIL, VITAMIN E OIL
anti - aging properties

Share what is in your oil mix and how you use it.

Popular Natural Hairstyle Trends of 2015

Hello hello!

With each year there is a definite fuss over particular hairstyles which seem to have everyone enthralled. Here's a quick look-see at the most popular styling trends of 2015 in the natural hair community.

1. Faux Locs

Faux locs began to pick up in late 2014 and by March of 2015 they were definitely the in-thing, and still happen to be quite popular. Faux locs give you the versatility of rocking locs without having to commit to years of growing them out full and long. The downside to them is that most have complained that they can be heavy on the pocket..and your scalp especially if kanekalon extensions are used. For lighter and easier to carry dreads, opt for yarn or marley hair. You can take it up a notch by going for ombred dreads or fiery red to switch from the traditional black or brown. As with all protective styles, they should not be kept in for more than 8 weeks to avoid your hair locking. Do take care if you have a sensitive hairline as some have complained of losing their hairlines to the beautiful style. You want want to DIY it rather than go to the hairdresser if you have concerns about your edges.

My lovely friend Nangisai rocking a more fiery version of faux locs

Too Much Focus on Long Natural Hair

Hey everyone,

This is going to be a short post, but I want to get your opinions on the subject so please leave a comment. I have wondered many times whether in the natural hair community, there's a bit too much focus on long natural hair. Like I mentioned last week, there are lots and lots of Google searches on "natural hair LENGTH RETENTION," "how to have LONG NATURAL HAIR," "how can I GROW my natural hair," etc. There's nothing wrong with wanting long hair, but do you think there's a bias?

On Instagram, sometimes it seems that ladies with longer hair get more likes and follows. Even offline, I know that I got more compliments when people started seeing my hair as "long natural hair" instead of "natural hair."

Personally, I don't think my hair is long. It's medium length.

I think that the higher affection for longer hair downplays the beauty of shorter lengths of hair, and almost the TWA. Although I have to admit that some people with TWAs rock them so well, it makes people like me want to start all over again. Anyway, maybe it's all in my head.

Or maybe not. What do you think?
Berry Dakara.

Finghair Tips Thursday: Protective Styling

Hairspiration: Halo Twist

source

Hello everyone!

The thing about natural hair inspiration on the internet is that they have to be absolutely believable. Usually, we spent hours trying to recreate them only for them to turn out differently. So, when I saw this style, I realized that this is possibly the most believable style I've seen in a while. This means that we can actually recreate it and it would look the same...literally.

This is something that you can wear to work or any corporate event.

Simple and chic!

Would you be trying this?

Love,kinks and knots
eBunite

'I love to experiment with my Natural hair' Mane Matters with Wunmi

Hello Naturals,
Today's Naturalista on Mane Matters is Wunmi

Read and don't forget to leave a comment

Can you tell us who you are and what you do?

My name is Omowunmi Salawu. I work as an accountant, I’m a self-taught hairstylist.

What are your thoughts about natural hair?

Natural hair is beautiful. It gives you a natural look. It makes you stand out amongst people. It allows me embrace nature.

When/why did you decide to go natural?

I decided to go natural in 2013. And that was because I saw so many lovely naturalistas online and I felt my hair could also be like this. Moreso, I hated to retouch my hair. 

Did you do a BC or you transitioned?

I transitioned for almost a year then decided to do the big chop.

What was the experience like?

It was really cool. But I did a lot of PS throughout the transitioning period.

What was/is your biggest fear about going Natural?

I didn’t have any fear because I always like to experiment with my hair. 

Do you have a regimen you stick to? What is it like?

No particular regimen but before installing any PS, I pre-poo(mixing mayonnaise, olive oil, coconut, shea butter, honey) leave overnight, wash the next morning and do a tea rinse. I don’t leave my PS for more than 3 weeks.

What emotional struggles, if any, have you faced since going natural?

No emotional struggles. Even “olami” loves my hair… lol

Do you think you are in it for the long haul or is it just a phase?

For the long haul baby

There are people that definitely have negative comments about your hair, how do you deal with that?

Just a few people though but I tell them I could help them have really soft and healthy hair.

What's your must have product and accessory?

Shea butter and hair band

What is your go-to style?

Wash and go

What advice do you have for anyone just going natural?

Different people have different hair textures. So, what works well for me might not work well for you. Just learn to know what your hair loves and treat it right. Love your mane. “life is too short to have boring hair”

Where can we find you? Your social media platforms…

IG: @wumyzsignature   FACEBOOK: wumy salawu   BBM CHANNEL: C002402A7

To get featured, send a mail to manematters@africanaturalistas.com

Till then

Leeznijis

The Search of the elusive 'Curl Friend' in the UK!

  Good Day Ladies! Ever since I first went Natural,I have been on the look out for my 'Natural Soul Mate' in the UK. Someone I can bond with over all things Natural Hair.

  In todays video,I share with you the latest development on my Quest to make that elusive 'Curl Connection.'

  Have a Beautiful Day Ladies and remember to live your life like its Golden!

Diary of an Honest Naturalista: Week 116

In her usual vacation fashion, Boma came to spend her break with her grandmother AKA my mother, meaning I get to be saddled up with her constant bickering. Thankfully, my work gets to take me away from her for a large part of the day, so she doesn’t weary me as much.

She is getting wiser now, and some of that charm that comes with being an innocent little child is wearing off.

My brothers, Dimeji, Dimeji’s Brother, and I decided to just have fun and hang out at the beach this weekend. And it suddenly became a good idea to Dimeji that we should take Boma along. I protested, but after I was made to look like the wicked witch of the west, I kept quiet, after warning them that I wouldn’t be saddled with any mummy responsibilities. I wasn’t sure what planet adults decide to hangout, and think it best to take a troublesome charming kid who is not their child along.

Anyway, we got to the beach, and she immediately found a team of little children to join in their beach ball game. They had set up rubber goal posts , and were throwing rubber balls up and down. Children of these days sure know how to have fun, no matter how young. As much as I didn’t want to be saddled with mummy duties, I knew I still had to keep my eyes on Boma, especially because I was in the grown female in the group, and guys are not really that good with multitasking.

One thing led to another, and I got carried away with my gisting with the guys that I later forgot about Boma. Kolapo was making our day with gists of the many girls that come onto him just because they feel he has money, and he’s a cool guy, but not necessarily because they liked him for who he was.

About 25 minutes later, I felt a nudge on my hips, with a little voice whining “I want to drink water.” I turned to my side, and wasn’t sure what I was seeing.

It was a sand statue that had come alive, and speaking, and definitely not a human being. Sand with hands, feet, and a body. The only giveaway that I was related to this sand statue was the eyes. I saw Boma’s eyes firmly sculpted into that statue, and I instantly knew I was in for some serious trouble. She was covered with caked in sand from head to toe, including her hair. Her Hair!!!

The reality of the problem I was suddenly facing dawned on me, and I was like

Source

I looked at Dimeji, and was furious. “You want a cute child to play with right, yet not ready for the responsibility of caring for one. Well, here’s a child for you, and you are going to sort this one out for yourself.” I firmly said to him as I dragged Boma to the water to wash her body off and hope she won’t disappear in the water since I wasn’t sure if her body had been permanently converted to sand.

The hair couldn’t be sorted. Her long natural hair was an extreme shrunken matted mess, and sand was hiding in every nook and cranny. When we got back home, I brought out my shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner, ACV, lipton tea, coconut oil, olive oil, and many products that could cause confusion. I took them, and dumped them into Dimeji’s laps, and took his hand and Boma’s hand, and joined them together, like a priest conducting a marriage ceremony for them.

“Don’t worry Boma. Uncle Dimeji is taking you to the bathroom to get rid of all that sand hidden your hair with these magic ingredients he has.” I said, speaking more to Dimeji, than Boma.

“He has been telling me about how he wants a cute little daughter with long flowy natural hair like yours. I think it is high time he began to learn how to care for them, and he might just change his mind and pray for a son instead.” I said, and walked out of the house, going to nowhere in particular.

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New Additions to the African Naturalistas Store

Hello beautiful ladies. How are you all doing? We have good news for you all. We now have some new additions to the  African Naturalistas store, and here are a few of them.

1. African Naturalistas Black Soap range

We have four types for now, and I can tell you that it is thick and BIIIIIIGGG. This is the kind of soap you will use, and use, and use, and use, and will refuse to finish. You can use them for your hair, scalp, and body in general. All you need is a to scoop a peanut size unto your sponge, and you are done for the day. In fact, the only thing you have to fear is that the soap won't finish. It has deep cleansing and exfoliating properties. Trust me, this soap is gooooooddd. I use it now. It starts from N1500 for 500gm for the raw one, and the ones with essential oils are N2000 for 400gm. If you get that price anywhere, let us know.

Our African Black Soap thoroughly cleanses skin, hair and scalp, while being extremely gentle. It helps get rid of scars, skin irritations, etc. and gives an even tone to your natural skin colour. It thoroughly exfoliates facial and body skin, getting rid of stubborn dirt, It is a natural alternative hair wash to harsh shampoos, leaving your hair and scalp squeaky clean without stripping away its natural oils.

The Menthol range soothes your skin and scalp, and also helps get rid of nasal congestion
The Eucalyptus range is created for its antidandruff properties. It is good for dry and itchy skin and scalp, and dandruff
The Peppermint range has calming effects on the body nerves, and improves blood circulation

2. Cocoa Butter

Our 100% pure Cocoa Butter is a must have for every Whipped Butter. A little goes a long way. It is particularly effective in helping grow healthy hair, and achieving healthy and glowing skin, including erasing stretch marks and other scars.

As a DIY expert, Cocoa Butter is one butter you should not do without.

3. Indigo Powder

Our Indigo powder is a 1100% natural dye that dyes your hair black or blue black, depending on your melanin type and how you use it. It is completely safe, and has no side effects. It can be used alone, or in combination with your Henna Treatment for a more nourishing result.

4. Jatamansi Powder, Parsley Powder and othe Ayurvedic powders.

Our Jatamansi prevents hair loss, promotes hair growth, slows down process of greying, encourages hair growth
Our Parsley powder encourages hair growth, serves as a scalp stimulant, promotes healthy hair, etc.

We also have tons and tons of Ayurvedic powders on the store, such that you would be spoilt for choice. They include, Sandalwood, Amla, Bhringraj, Orris root, Multani mitti/ Bentonite/ Fullers Earth, Aloe vera powder, Orange peel, Mustard, Neem, Methi/ Fenugreek, Rosemary, Mint, Gulab/ Rose powder, Lemon powder, Winter cherry, Reetha/ Aritha/ Ritha, Shikakai, Bhrami, Holy basil/ Tulasi, Costus root, Henna/ Mehendi, Hibiscus

So what are you waiting for, get your own new products recent and non-recent. You are just a click away, and we will deliver to you anywhere in Nigeria. Click here to place your order now.

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DIY LOUNGE - THE WONDER-WORKING ONION JUICE

Was doing my normal rounds on the internet the other day and I came across a comment on a natural hair blog (can't remember which).

The author talked about how she used onion juice to regrow her hair and bald patches. As in, your wide eyes no big reach my own! I was like "oh no!she didn't!".So, I decided to google it and asides the smell, the review was amazing. I decided to read up on its benefits and how to extract the juice,so, I could come and share with you guys.... Yea! I know, am generous like that....

                       BENEFITS ::::

 Onion juice increases blood circulation.

 Onion juice is rich in antibacterial properties,so, it helps fight scalp infections.

 It prevents premature greying..

 It's rich in sulphur 

 It's a good remedy for hair loss and bald patches.

                   THINGS YOU NEED 

 : blender

 : a bulb of onion 

 : knife 

 : chopping board 

 : sieve 

                DIRECTIONS:::

STEP 1

              Peel and chop the onion into small to medium pieces.

STEP 2

              Put the chopped onions in a blender, add little water and blend on high for about a minute or till it turns into a purée.

STEP 3

              Put your sieve over a bowl,pour your purée into the sieve and filter.

STEP 4

             Squeeze pulp,making sure you extract all the juice..

                   HOW TO USE

   - mix 1/2 cup of onion juice with 2 tablespoons of honey.

   - apply onto your scalp

   - leave it on for 40 minutes at least or you could just cover overnight with a shower cap.

   - rinse out 

                    OR 

 - massage the juice into your scalp, bald patches or residing hairline.

 - leave on for 15 minutes 

 - wash out with a shampoo.

NB :::: 

             Use daily for at least 3 weeks to see result!

             You could add onion diet to your meals to help from within!

              Any essential oil of your choice or lemon juice could help with the smell!

              The honey and onion juice mixture can be taken as a drink. 

RUMOUR HAS IT  "onion juice does wonders for those bald spots!" grow some hair DIY...

Questions and feedbacks are highly appreciated,

So,see you at the comment section...

5 Quick and Easy Twists Styles for Little Girls

By DiscoveringNatural

Twists can be fun! Here are 5 ways to style your mini twists in a fun way. Great style for Back to School

Click here or watch below:

 

 

 

Dealing with the urge to relax your Natural Hair

We've all had those days...your hair won't co-operate, your bobby pins have disappeared and you just feel less than presentable, I know I have. The next best alternative is to reach for that relaxer jar.

This is not a post looking down on chemical straighteners, this is a part of my natural hair experience which I want to share with you dear reader, because I think you can relate.

As a natural and healthy hair blogger, you would expect that I'm die hard for my tresses every day, and would not think of permanently straightening them. After all it's what I write about, give advice about. The fact of the matter is I get that niggly feeling to relax on days I’m late for work cause I spent 30 minutes making it look professional ( I work in a law firm so neat hair is a must), on days I see straight relaxed hair blowing in the wind, on days I see relaxed hair longer than a 14 inch weave, on days i'm too tired to braid up my hair before bed, on days I want to show off my length, on days washing and detangling are a real chore...on days when I just want that effortlessly sleek look, and on days when shrinkage is messing with my high and mighty puff!!

Grow Natural Hair : Length or Volume

Hey y'all!

If you're like most naturals, chances are that you're constantly googling phrases like "grow your natural hair," "how to retain length," "length retention tips," and so on. I'm half the same way, in that, yes I want my hair to grow, but seeing as it takes forever and ever for it to grow (blame my less than stellar discipline to stick to a regimen), I don't bother my head too much about it. These days I'm more worried about my edges, but that's a different story for another day.

Anyways, in your quest for growing your natural hair, most of you are probably looking at length checks. Hair is supposed to grow about half an inch a month, so people go on year long length-retention challenges. Everyone's trying to go from TWA status to Waist Length and all that.

Source

But what about volume checks? Huh? What the heck is Berry on about now? Well, hear me out. I came across Igbo Curls, who's a Nigerian natural hair blogger and if you see her volume checks, you'll probably dig a hole in the middle of the road and bury yourself, because DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG!!!! Should I show you her photos? Are you sure? Do you promise to leave a comment? Okay, I'll show her photos (please note, if you don't plan to comment, stop reading right now).

KAPOW! KABOOM! KAHAIR!!!!! KA-VOLUME!!!

Do you see what I mean? She has length AND volume growth down pat. All I want to know is "Dear God, when will I have a big a$$ fro too?" Actually, I'm not sure if it's possible because I'm beginning to think my hair might be closer to fine than coarse these days.

Have a nice weekend!!!
Berry Dakara.

Finghair Tips Thursday: Protective Styling

4 Reasons Why You Should Totally Try Bob Braids

Hello everyone!

I've had my bob braids for about four weeks now and I'm thinking of doing another one after taking it down. Yep! That's how much I enjoy the style. This week I'm gonna be sharing five reasons why I'm gonna be re-installing and why you should I too.

1. It's super convenient.
The other day, I was talking to a friend of mine who also has bob braids on about the convenience of the style and she agreed with me. I haven't had to wake up thinking of how to style my hair - which can be a hassle sometimes. I just moisturize and go. I don't have to think about putting anything in place because it's in a default style. The only thing I really do to take the braids off my face is to hold them back with bobby pins. This is enough reason for me to re-do them.

2. It's cheaper to install
If you're a cheapskate like me, this might become your go-to style. It's way cheaper as you might just have to use one or two packs of extensions. If you're lucky, you might get away with just one pack. With this style, I know that even when I'm broke, i could still look decent.

3. It's easier to maintain
I'm one of those people that can't do without washing braids and extensions in general. So, I didn't hesitate to wash my bob braids after the first two weeks. Just as I had imagined, it was easier to wash. I could focus squarely on my scalp and air dry conveniently. Fortunately, it took just a couple of hours - half the time it takes for regular box braids to dry. Every other day, I moisturize with my hair spritz which comprises of aloe vera juice, leave-in, coconut oil, tea tree and lavender oil. I finish it up with massaging my edges with castor oil.

4. There are hardly any styling difficulties
As I said earlier, there are no styling challenges. If you don't like the plain look of the braids, you could easily switch things up by adding accessories.

I hope I've been able to convince you to try the style.


Love, kinks and knots
 eBunite  

'I big chopped myself' Mane Matters with Zainab

Hi Naturalistas. 

How is the day going? Really sorry for the late posting today. Today's Natural is a very good friend of mine. Although we have not met in person, I so admire her mane and she sure rocks it well.

So ladies, meet Zainab

Can you tell us who you are and what you do?
My name is Zainab, I am a student of urban and regional planning at the Bells University Technology and a blogger also.

What are your thoughts about natural hair?
I think natural hair is amazing. It is an amazing feature of an African woman. It complements our beauty and even teaches us endurance, tolerance, patience.

When/why did you decide to go natural?
I returned natural on September 18 2013. I decided to return natural because I have never remembered wearing my natural hair whatsoever. I have practically been relaxed all my life so I just wanted to know how it would feel and looked wearing my natural hair. Plus I wondered why some African American women had some curls n their hair and I didn’t. That was how the research on curls began and then I bumped into the natural hair world lol.

Did you do a BC or you transitioned?
I big chopped.

What was the experience like?
It was an experience I could never forget. I big chopped myself and I wasn’t sure how I would look with a short hair but I did it anyway.

What was/is your biggest fear about going Natural?
I actually had no fears. I just went straight for it with all confidence and courage. And I still have no fears.

Do you have a regimen you stick to? What is it like?

I wouldn’t say I have a stable regimen. But every month I am usually on protective style for about 4-6 weeks, then I have my wash day which consist of cleansing with my natural black soap, then I deep condition, have a rinse which could be an oil, ACV, or tea rinse depending on how I am feeling and what I think my hair needs. Then I have a protein treatment like twice a year.

What emotional struggles, if any, have you faced since going natural?

The only emotional struggle I can say I had was when I couldn’t achieve a perfect wash and go, perm rods style, and flexi rods styles like those natural hair youtubers. I was sad and confused as I didn’t know much about my hair type and I thought I had like type 3 and 4a hair texture. I was sad for a while when I realize I was a mixture of type 4a, b,and c . But with time I embraced it and now I love love my hair.

Do you think you are in it for the long haul or is it just a phase?
Oh no! This is definitely not a phase. I am so in it for the long haul!

There are people that definitely have negative comments about your hair, how do you deal with that?
The funny thing is, ever since I returned natural, I have never received any negative comment about my hair, well to my face though. I get compliments all the time from lecturers, to my female mates, to friends. I think I might even be an inspiration for some of my friends to return natural. lol

What's your must have product and accessory?

Definitely conditioners. All types of conditioners: deep, leavein, rinseout, protein .lol and coconut oil. And as for accessory, I would say a scrunchie and bobby pins.

What is your go-to style?

A high puff.

What advice do you have for anyone just going natural?

My advice is to first of all love yourself, do your research, have a good reason for returning natural, love your hair type and embrace it, expect less from your hair so you won’t get disappointed because your hair has a mind of its own, take regular care of your hair and body and be patient and trust me you will get excellent results.

Where can we find you? Your social media platforms…

Well you can find me on:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/s.h.o.n.a_/
Twitter: @zee_baby_
Email: tayosarumi@gmail.com or bboucles@gmail.com
And blog: www.thecurlybelle.com

Thank you for your time

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Till then

Leeznijis