Naturalista Muslimah: Introduction

Helloo Naturalistas, 

How are you all doing? Kinks and all? How did your May go? We're going to start a series this June. 

A photo posted by Modest Doll Fashion (@mazadolls) on May 9, 2016 at 6:51am PDT

Contrary to what some of us believe, hijabis are not bald under their hijabs. I have a few friends that grow their natural hair and because it is covered is the more reason why it needs to be taken care of. There is a tendency to make excuse for not taking care of the hair, atleast "No one sees it right?'

We would be encouraging and giving our naturalistas that wear hijab hair care tips over the next couple of weeks. So, if you know any hijabis naturalista, don't forget to send them the link.

Are you a naturalista that wears hijab? What would you like to see? 

Demystefying Leave-in Conditioner Part 2

Hello hello ladies!

I'm picking up from last week where we discussed leave-ins and what they do. This week i'm continuing and elaborating more on the types of leave-ins available.

As mentioned last week, there are two types of conditioners, protein and moisturising.

Demystifying Leave-in Conditioner

Hello, hello ladies!

I’m back this Friday with another product to shine the spotlight on. I’m dishing the dirt on leave-in conditioner as requested by one of our readers ( hey Oreoluwa Adeyinka!). A great leave-in is the cornerstone of well moisturised and healthy hair, so pay a great deal of attention to the type you are using.

What is leave-in conditioner?

Leave-in conditioner is a type a hair care product that is applied to the hair and is designed to nourish, moisturise, protect and smooth the strand. It is not rinsed out. It can be in liquid or cream/lotion form.

Demystifying Fatty Alcohols

Hello Hello Ladies!

 I got so much positive feedback on the Demystifying Cholesterol post that i'm considering doing a "Demystifying" series on various ingredients or products people want more information on. This week i'm taking a look at fatty alcohols.

When purchasing products we are often warned to avoid alcohols as they are drying to your hair. However alcohols can be categorised into two sections, good alcohols and bad alcohols. I want to elaborate more on the good kind you want in your products; fatty alcohols.

What are fatty alcohols?

Fatty alcohols are chemical compounds consisting of chains of carbon, hydrogen and hydroxide. They usually stem from  plants, animals and can be synthetically produced. They are distinct from all there other alcohols ( and the bad ones in particular) because are composed of 12 or more carbon  atoms which makes these compounds oilier, hence the term "fatty".

Real life natural hair talks: Locs vs. the fro for guys

Hi Naturalistas
From my experience, I noticed that people usually have their preferences when it comes to guys keeping their hair. So the big question today is: Does it really matter how the hair is being kept?

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I particularly noticed that some people would frown at locs but they don't mind a guy that keeps his hair but gets regular braids. But have we ever paused to wonder why it really matters?

What are the factors that actually fuel these preferences?
Societal norms? The look itself? Or just particular beliefs?

I know for some people it is either short hair or long hair and I have seen ladies that love them both. However, I noticed that for some, the fact that the guy doesn't have to deal with the hair every time (comb it often) makes all the difference. And for some, the most defining factor is that locs just look more masculine as opposed to afro.

When it comes to hair on guys, believe me, it can be a whole debate for days with plenty of opinions.

I would like to hear, what is your take?

P.s. I would like to particularly add this. I love to open the room for these kind of discussions because the last time I had a face to face one, it was really great. I noticed that sometimes, people do not understand the challenges that they could deal with based on their choices, but discussing them and getting other people's views helped them to better arm themselves to deal with them and even help them appreciate their choices more.
Like I always say, it is always more interesting if we get a lot of different opinions, that notwithstanding, if it is something that doesn't interest you, just move on to other posts that might interest you on the site.

Remember, to keep your heads high and rock your kinks with pride.  

JB
Twitter/Instagram: @janylbenyl

Real life natural hair talks: Men, physique and natural hair

Hi Naturalistas

Still continuing our discussion with regards to men and natural hair. We are still having the men's edition on the naturallure spotlight so be sure to send in your suggestions.

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Onto today's discussion. Do you think all men can pull off big hair?

I personally think that it looks a lot better when the guy has a little bit of muscles. He doesn't need to look really chiseled but I just think if he looks skinny or fat and tries to pull off the style, he may start looking feminine and if this is not what they were aiming for, it might be a big miss. 

I also think you have to be really confident as a guy to pull off the look. I especially think that guys that go for the look usually try to score on sexy, so every other part just must add up. 

What's your opinion, do you think body structure matters? 

Naturallure spotlight: Wale

Hi Naturalistas

Today I bring you Wale's hair in pictures. Wale is an American rapper with original roots from Nigeria. He will be kicking off the loc'd series for us. 

If you love guys with locs, nominate your favorite in the comments section for a feature.

Wale loves to wear his hair in locs which he sometimes allows to hang loose or put in flat twists. 

I hope you enjoy his pictures.

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I hope he inspired you to love your hair more?

Keep your heads high and rock your kinks with pride

JB

Twitter/Instagram: @janylbenyl 

Real Life Natural Hair Talks: Would you make your man's Natural hair?

Hi Naturalistas

Last time when we had these talks, it got a little touchy. Check it here if you missed it.

The idea is just to discuss what happens in reality and I really do not mind a collection of opinions.

It is not about saying what is better, should be or not be. It is just about those things that do really happen. 

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Today's topic might head in that direction as well because it is quite related. However, I am really hoping that everyone sees this with an open mind and it doesn't really need to turn into an argument. Share your opinions and try to see what you can pick from others, if you can't just let them, please.

Today we'll be talking about when your man needs you to make his hair. 

I know it can be fun to spend a relaxing weekend making his hair. I would especially love it. It feels like a nice way to spend time together. I'm already loving the thought of it :) 

However, let's not forget this can feel like a job. Seriously, would you mind?

Or would you be like "he can keep his hair, as long as he doesn't bother me with it?"

What's your take? 

Naturallure Spotlight: Omarion

Hi Naturalistas

Today's spotlight will be showcasing Omarion and his hair.

Omarion is a singer and dancer, a great one as a matter of fact.

I know Omarion has cut all of his hair off now but he is one of my favorites and I just had to bring him here. I loved how the hair used to complement his well contoured frame. I personally prefer him with his hair. I also love the fact that he almost never let's it out, it's usually in cute braids. He is just the perfect 'sexy guy with hair' figure. 

Enjoy his pictures 

Photo credits:

The first: Source

The rest: Source

Remember you can suggest your favorites for a chance to have them featured. 

JB
Twitter/instagram: @janylbenyl

Real life natural hair talks: Your man and his natural hair

Hi Naturalistas

Since we are having the men grace our naturallure spotlight this period, I wanted to also dedicate this segment for the men.  I had a discussion the other day with a friend and she said she likes to admire guys with hair but she is not sure she would marry a man with big hair and all.

It had me thinking a lot. Would I really marry a guy with all that hair? 

I mean they are cute to look at, but what are the real implications?

Okay let me give y'all a second to think :) 

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I think at some point I came to the conclusion that I could date a guy with big hair but not sure I want to deal with my husband fussing about bad hair days with me, lol.

You know, then you would be living together so you can see how he puts in the work to take care of it so it doesn't look unkempt and that can be quite something. 

Also, I think it also has a lot to do with the image. I think a guy with big hair doesn't really come off like a guy that takes life seriously and perhaps at a certain age, you may not be expecting that. Think about the fact that instead of thinking of other things, he's thinking about how to wash and dry his hair.

Okay, I'm thinking too much. It's just hair, right?

Gotcha! Now y'all can see that it really isn't just hair hahaha

What's your take on this? 

Real Life natural hair talks: Any new habits?

Hi Naturalistas

Today is another of those 'talk days' where we look back at our journey and reflect. 

It is helpful to evaluate yourself and see how much things have improved or worsened. You should be able to find something that you may not have noticed or learn from someone else's. This is the aim of these posts. And majorly because I think it is fun, we get to share and I get a chance to read from y'all 

Please, tell me you love them just as much as I do :)

Let's delve into today's topic then

It is about new habits. Are there things you started doing basically because you went on a natural hair journey? I know someone that started drinking more water because she understood that water would help with the excessive dry nature of her hair. Some people made decisions to start eating healthy to aid their hair growth.

From a personal view, I cannot remember being as consistent with wearing my hair nets when I used to be relaxed as I am now with trying to contain my hair in one silk coverage or the other just because I am a natural. Not bad though, I just had a practical crash course on discipline, I guess.

Woo! Wash days! Routine treatments! Who else can relate?

Let me hear your stories at the comment section

JB
Twitter: @janylbenyl

Naturallure Spotlight: Erykah Badu

Hi Naturalistas
Today's spotlight is on Erykah Badu.  She is a performer, an actress and writes most of her songs. When you think of Neo soul, you cannot miss this lady's name. She is right there at the origin. I can't forget one of her live performances of  'No more trouble'. She even raps. This is one very talented young woman and a natural beauty. I remember her as wearing big scarfs, but underneath all those pretty wraps is a beautiful head of natural hair. I spotted a picture of her once somewhere without a head wrap, I started doing my research and what I discovered was a head of big afro hair.
I brought pictures. Enjoy!

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I hope she inspired you to love your hair more?

Remember to keep your heads high and rock your kinks with pride 

JB

Twitter: @janylbenyl

Real life natural hair talks: How drastic did you go for your hairgoals?

Hi Naturalistas

                                      Ilola, not me :)

I know some of us were so desperate at some point when we felt we weren't achieving our goals of healthy, long hair. I know I shouldn't put this in past tense, just because I stopped caring too much about mine. I know there are people that are still very much faced with the realities of what desperately trying to find ways to achieve set out desires can be.
Ilola mentioned asking her stylists to pull on her hair. Though the severity of the consequence was not one to get you laughing, I couldn't help laughing when I read that one.
(Read it here  If you missed it.)

I know some people have done some very drastic things like the *inversion method. That was so scary when I first heard about it. Too bad I really do not have personal experiences to share.

Not that I didn't/don't have desires that I needed to see happen badly, just I never thought of anything out of line. I am so Lilly livered when it comes to things like these so pardon me if I have no stories to share. But I'll be delighted to hear yours, if you have any

*inversion method - Maintaining a sort of an upside-down position to channel more blood flow to the scalp region, because it us believed to facilitate rapid hair growth.


Twitter/Instagram: @janylbenyl

Naturallure spotlight: Kimberly Elise

Hi Naturalistas

Happy Mother's Day! 

Today's spotlight features, Kimberly Elise. An award winning actress and mother of two beautiful daughters. 

She has featured in the best works so far:

Gifted hands: The Ben Carson story, Diary of a mad black woman, For colored girls, to mention but a few. If you've watched any of her movies, you'll agree with me that hers is always a classic act. 

She is one of those talents that you see and know it is very effortless. 

I love her and of course, her hair

Enjoy her pictures

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I hope she inspired you to love your hair more?

Remember to keep your heads high and rock your kinks with pride 

JB

Twitter: @janylbenyl

Love Series: Learn How To Love Your Natural Hair

Hello everyone,

I must say that from a lot of comments on posts on this blog, it seems that more naturalistas like their hair, if not love. There was a time when it seemed like there was a lot of frustration out there, and people were confused about what to do with their hair. With more research and natural hair becoming more popular, it's been easier for a lot of naturalistas to feel comfortable in their hair and embrace their curls. For those who haven't yet reached that point though, this post is for you.

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• Know Your Hair
  One of the key ways to love your hair is to KNOW IT. Take time to know what your curl pattern is. What's your porosity? Does your hair like protein? Does your hair like ACV? Do it like Aloe Vera Juice? Knowing the answers to these questions and more, will help you select the right products that will bring out the best in your hair. And that will help you fall in love with your kinks.
• Look for Inspiration
  These days, we don't have to go far, to see women with beautiful natural hair. From Lupita to Solange, to our very own Mane Matters and Naturallure Spotlight posts, there are so many pictures that depict how beautiful natural hair IS. It's easier to appreciate your own hair, when you see that other people are wearing their hair out and PROUD! From actresses with big a$$ fros to models with short cuts, there is a lot of inspiration to pick from.
• Take Care of Your Natural Hair
  Let's be honest. A lot of people who think that natural hair is frustrating and hard, are really not taking care of their hair properly. The key is to have a regimen that helps you nurture and nourish your hair. Deep Conditioning treatments make my hair feel so luxurious and soft. Wrapping my hair at night helps my edges stay down, so I appreciate my hair style even more. If you love your hair with care, it will definitely show.
• Style Your Hair
  Want to appreciate your hair more? STYLE IT! You know already that the number of natural hairstyles out there is limitless. Locs, bantu knots, twist outs, braids, shingles, and more, are all yours for the taking! So you have short hair, slap on some pudding or gel to enhance the curls, or use some pretty hair accessories. The point is, YOU TOO CAN STYLE YOUR HAIR! If you stumble on a favorite hairstyle, then hold on to it. For me, I know that I can always put my hair up in a bun and feel good about my hair. 

So I hope these tips help you on your journey to loving your natural hair. Are there any tips that have helped you? Let's share in the comments below. The first person to comment on the post, with their email, wins a N500 recharge card!

Have a lovely weekend :)
Berry Dakara

Real life natural hair talks: What changed?

Hi Ladies

This one is for the ladies, that's why I specifically channelled my greetings to the ladies.

I just want us to pause a bit and share a few thoughts. 

If you read my post here I talked about how you can create some feminity around an otherwise boring natural look. Especially for a TWA look, you definitely want to stack up on all the little tricks that will not give you off as a clueless girl or worse still, a boy. You want to create something that still looks flashy, or something in between, as opposed to boring. 

Some people had to change their wardrobes to look more girly to even things out on a good note. Some learnt to accessorize more to give off a more fun look. 

My questions are:

What did you have to change?

Why did you think it was necessary?

I was never a scarf person. I used to do baseball hats hahaha

But these days, I realized that scarves go with my new hair than the baseball hats, thus I'm more or less turning to the scarf kind of life.

Another thing was the makeup. I'm not sure I can entirely put this one here and I'll tell you why. I've always been into makeup, but I usually did light makeup. I know somewhere along the line, I found myself trying more bold lips frequently. I used to wear them once in a while, when I was really dressing up. I found out that I upped on that, but then again, I think it could also be that it had nothing to do with my hair. Perhaps, I just evolved into a lady who was now eager to break out of her comfort zone, and that fact was also channeled through my makeup. It could be mere coincidence. Anyways, it happened right about the same time and I thought I just might put it out there as well. 

So now you have mine, let's hear yours! 

Remember, the first person to leave a comment on this post automatically wins 500 naira airtime voucher on any Nigerian network of choice. Remember to leave your email address alongside, we'll need it to send the card across. 

Hurry ladies, share your stories!

Remember to keep your heads high and rock your kinks with pride 

JB

Twitter: @janylbenyl

Love Series: How to Protect Your Natural Hair During Sex

ALRIGHTY THEN!!!

If you are below the age of 18, kindly close this page and go look for a book to read, as information here is most probably not for you.

Moving right along...

You get home from a long day of work or shopping or whatever it is that takes up your day, and your love has decided that he wants to physically show you how much he loves you. He's set up the dinner table with candlelight, some sweet red wine, and dinner. You can just tell from the twinkle in his eye, that this is going to be a looooooooong and pleasure-filled night. You smile at him and say you want to freshen up a little before dinner, and you head into the bathroom and do either of two things...

1. PANIC
   First of all, NO he did not just pull this on you!!! Doesn't he know that you need to protect your hair from all the writhing, and head-turning, and hair pulling, and head-banging that will take place?! Especially when your hair isn't
   - Properly moisturized,
   - Adequately detangled,
   - and Put up in a nice protective style to thwart all that friction your poor head will get from the non-satin pillowcase.
   
   And what about your nightly hair regimen?! You wonder at what point from the dining room to the bedroom, you can
   - Sneakily spray your hair with your DIY mix,
   - Give your ends some TLC,
   - Massage your scalp, edges and temples with Castor Oil because you just happen to be on Day 67 of  a Castor Oil Challenge,
   - Twist/flat twist/braid/pineapple your hair up while tucking in the ends,
   - AND put it all in your satin head scarf or bonnet... without him noticing!!!
   

   

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   Girl, are you REALLY thinking about your hair right now? Like, that is what is on your mind? NO NO NO! Forget this option and just...
   
   
2. RELAX (your mind and body o, not your hair)
   Your hair, and maybe even dinner can wait until tomorrow, because you're about to GET IT ON!!!!!!!!!! If your hair's REALLY that important, then I suggest you get on top and give him the ride of his life! YES I SAID IT! Another option is to stand, or do the grown-up puppy (figure it out).
   

   

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   The point is g'head wit yo bad self and have some fun!

Happy Valentine's Day to You and Yours!!! 

#OkBye

The first person to comment about this post will win a N500 recharge card on any Nigerian network. Add your email address below your comment.

Berry Dakara

Naturallure spotlight: Solange Knowles

Hi Naturalistas

One lady that has transformed the way red carpets look with her natural hair is Solange Knowles. Most people know her as Beyonce's younger sister, I know her as that daring lady who is not afraid to tread her own paths. She stormed the music scene with her peculiar kinda sound, that 'sandcastle disco' is a song very dear to my heart. I love that song. She is an incredible lady. I love people who are not afraid to be themselves. She has expressed this in so many ways. Her music, her dressing and the best part, her natural hair. 

                        

                           

                  

I love her natural hair. Do you? 

Don't forget to love yours more.

Remember to keep your heads high and rock your kinks with pride 

JB

Twitter: @janylbenyl  

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Winter ready: 6 things to remember for your natural hair this winter

Hi Naturalistas

To conclude these series, I will leave you with these helpful tips for the winter. 

1. Wash your hair less often. Your hair will take longer to dry. You don't want to expose your hair to more heat, you don't want to go out with wet hair too because either way, you expose your hair to easy breakage. 

2. Avoid the shampoos and co- wash more. Every time you shampoo your hair, you rip your hair of moisture and oils. 

3.  Do not neglect your leave in conditioner and remember to use it on damp hair instead of dripping wet hair, to ensure the leave in doesn't drip away.

4. Up your moisture level. Deep condition more to retain oils and moisture. 

5. Most of the fabrics you'll throw around your neck, even your heavy coats during this period are mostly made of cotton and wool. To prevent the hair from rubbing around on the fabrics, drying out from it and breaking, do up dos and avoid allowing your hair to hang loose. I will say try more protective styles. 

6.  If you are wearing a wooly hat, or tying a wooly scarf, protect your hair first by using a silk scarf underneath. 

I have a surprise for you in 2014

Watch out.

Happy new year in advance.

Remember to keep your heads high and rock your kinks with pride 

JB

Twitter: @janylbenyl

Winter ready: Winter perfect deep conditioning mix for Natural Hair

Hi Naturalistas

I promised to show you my winter deep conditioning mix. Remember, as the cold turns up, you need to up your DC treatments. For this period I like to alternate between these two combos.

Mix 1

1. Egg - the white part will serve as a conditioner while the yolk will help with protein

2. Herbal essences bee strong strengthening intensive mask - just as the name suggests, it helps to strengthen your individual strands to prevent breakage. It has honey and apricot which is perfect for moisture and shine.

3. Glycerine - is a humectant that helps to retain moisture in your hair to eliminate dryness and breakage

4. Olive oil - seals in the moisture, helps prevent dryness which will in turn prevent breakage.

Mix 2

1. Avocado - helps to condition your hair. If your hair is already damaged and looking dry from the excess cold, this will help revive it.

2. Honey 

3. Olive oil 

As usual, mask your hair with the mix, use a heated cap/shower cap/steamer. Give it a couple of minutes depending on which measure you are using. Remember with your shower cap, you'll need to give it more time. Rinse it out and let it dry.

Remember to keep your heads high and rock your kinks with pride

JB

Twitter: @janylbenyl