Six months Protective Style Challenge (2)

Wagwan Nappyboo! We are here again. A Happy New Month of December to you!

This post is dedicated to all aspiring models out there. In my 5+ something years of my international modeling career only until last week Thursday did I actually have braids like real legit box braids put in my hair on a set of a photoshoot for a hair campaign. I sigh a heavy sigh when I see the messages from you young-ins on my Facebook and Instagram looking at my glossy pictures wanting to be like me. And it's because you don't understand the amount of soul selling and sacrifices it takes to be a model in today's society.

And all for what? To be told that only a handful of super star models will actually have this as a career late into their 50's? Of course, they'll never follow up with you can be the one "I believe in you" statement. They always leave it hanging in the air right there in front of you, out of your reach. And it never pains me because I know who I am, so I need no validation. Thank God I came into my senses a few years into my career and big chopped my relaxed hair to go Natural.

Nevertheless, I've slowly started to highlight how bad e really bad, and I started with my #IAMGIAIA posts during the Maxim Cover Girl Competition.  (I made it all the way up to Semi-finals! For those of you who are wondering how that went). More model talk is fast approaching, so hold your wigs, cos the gist is bound to fly them off.

This post is my usual end of the year hurrah, when evils of the Fashion and beauty world go in for hibernation for their 2-3weeks end of the year holiday and our bliss to finally be able to be the kind of humans we wish to be and see in the world without having to worry that we will be reduced to begger-dom or homeless shelters because the high and mighty that write the beauty status quo will never give us a seat at the table. It is also my last ever of begging for a seat at that very same table. I'm turning 25 next year and that's also a whole other story.

I think it's safe to say I am the Queen of curly wigs when it comes to protective styling. I have it in bronze, red, curly, afro, I nearly bought a pink one the other day. Maybe next Halloween :)

Even when I protective style I never stray too far away from my African aesthetics, Wakanda forever looool

 @nappyese Protective Styles

Check out my results from my last #6MONTHSPROTECTIVESTYLE CHALLENGE

http://nappyese.com/6monthsprotectivestylechallenge-results/

I feel like at some point I also have to give a clarifying post as to what it means to be a lazy natural. Only true Naturalistas may know. Some of you may need some schooling but its ok, we learn new things everyday. I saw a fellow black models hair being fried by a white hair stylist on Instagram today, I wrote to her and she said she didn't have a choice. I told her she does. All she needs to do is take better care of her hair and stand up for herself. I did the same and they learnt to leave my hair alone. They really have no idea what it is to be creative with our own natural beauty without any damaging patriarchal inducing standard, or maybe they do who knows. Even some of the black hair stylists on set are not any better. The trauma is so deep and relevant to our nature that most of us have forgotten what it is like to be kind to ourselves. I had to take the braids out because I had a different shoot the next day and you should have seen the way the stylist rough handled my poor aching scalp! And I felt she would do that even before she did (perhaps I attracted it? LoL) because she had already tortured me by slapping the rubber bands she used to attach the hair extensions to my scalp a few times that I had yelled ow VERY LOUDLY. I wanted to jump up outta that chair like a baboon the minute she took the last braid off but I know it would have made her feel awkward).

That's me you see, forever the empath putting other people's feelings before mine. But now enough is enough. I don't care if I get labelled a bitch or a diva ( cos that’s their next train to jump on). If that’s what I gotta be to save myself and more children after me who will be traumatized to become these numb feeling creatures then so be it.

I have more stories, but enough of my rants. I had a hair show this past weekend and it has officially marked off my #6months protective style challenge!

My braids came out so bomb, I'm so obsessed. 

Love and Nappiness

NAPPYESE

DID MY HAIR GROW? 6monthsprotectivestylechallenge Results!

Yass Yasss Yas, many great things are happening! How have things been on your end? How are you thriving so far in 2018? Isn’t lit?! It's been crazy lit on my end and I’m still swooinng from all the choices, moments and experiences life continues to offer me. And for every single one, good and bad I am grateful! My nappy-trip to India was all sorts of crazy!

It’s definitely feels super amazing to be back to fast and working wifi, clean streets, and space! oh sweet space. Have you been to India? If you have you can probably catch my feels, haha! India was crrrraaaaazzzyyy I tell you. My #3odaysinIndia Vlog series is releasing from the 1st of July on NappyeseTV so turn on notifications for my Youtube and Instagram posts!

WHY I THINK I’M A NATURAL HAIR NAZI

 This post is dedication to my #6monthprotectivestylechallenge. It ended last month! 6 whole months of wearing my afro in Braids, Headwraps, Wigs and Low manipulative hair style. I loved all my hairstyles! They were simple and inexpensive. I think the most expensive ones were my long silver box braids.

 

Here are the results;

6 MONTH PROTECTIVE STYLE CHALLENGE RESULTS

Before:

LENGTH CHECK 4C HAR

Length: 7 & 1/2 inches

After:

LENGTH CHECK

Length: 9 & 1/2 inches

That’s about right. Hair grows on n average of 4-6 inches per year. In half that time (6months) I got my allotted 2&1/2 inches.
Check my previous post on my protective style challenge and see my progress from the beginning;

My 6 months protective style challenge

#6monthprotectivestylechallenge: 3 MONTHS UPDATE

Ya! so I definitely think I’m a natural hair Nazi. Watch my funny video below to see how I mean, its proof! haha I learnt a lot about myself making this video!

https://youtu.be/qI6RcfNZz1A

I also love protective styling, lazy natural for Life. I could protective style 12 months in a year even! Because I know it is the surest and easiet way to preserve nappy hair length and health.

I didn’t miss my Mushu one bit (lol..ok lies, but you get the gist) and the timing was perfect for India. I only shampooed and conditioned once in the whole time I was there.
Will you join me on the next protective style challenge?? Have you gone a protective style challenge before? If so, what were your results?


Love and Nappiness

Nappyese

Six Months Protective Style Challenge

Watagwan my Natural sisters,

Happy New Year! The earth has begun a new rotation around the sun for the year 2018, and the breath of God is still with us. There is much to be thankful for!

The term ‘Protective styling’ has always seemed a luxurious word that vaguely applied to me. I mean sure, I follow all the nitty gritty rules that apply to protecting my strands ( between finger detangling flew out the window). When my hair is not stretched out or curled for a photoshoot or show, it is usually in about 4-6 single  braids hidden under a head wrap. Hard-core protective styling like braids, faux locs, dare I say weaves? Just hasn’t found a place to stay in all my 3 years of being natural. However I know my hair length is not where it was this time last year. Neither is my Density. My Mushu has grown longer and fuller.

My Natural Hair growth 2017

 The collage above goes to show that even without hardcore protective styling I’ve has done well on retaining length. But trust, with longer hair comes longer wash days and responsibilities. 

My Protective style Looks 2017

 The bitter sweet truth is that Afro’s are hard to manage. The down-side of having gravity defying hair with amazing styling variety is the amount of time, care and effort that has to go into it, specially for the kinkiest types like mine. I won't lie, I have been tired and weary of my hair lately, and been itching for a creative change.

Starting from this month, I've commissioned myself to go on a 6 months HARD-CORE protective Style challenge!!! Yup, I’m committing and putting Mushu on Lock down! Its needless to say, the great thing about protective styling is switching up your look while protecting your strands. My Curly Wigs, Head-wraps, Clip-ins and Marley Pony’s won't cut it anymore.


PROTECTIVE STYLE 1: SILVER BOX BRAIDS

My job as a model has not allowed me the sweet variety that is our Magic and Art. But I’m at the point in my life where I’m needing to call the shots in relations to how I express myself. Surely braids can’t only be cool when celebs like Solange or Zoe Kravitaz wear them. I think it's time to make braids more mainstream.

BEFORE PROTECTIVE STYLING


It feels so good to be rid of Mushu for  a while. I’m taking all prisoners! I will make sure to document every step and stage of this journey. I even got a tape and measured up Mushu. It up and it came up to 6 1\2  inches. My hair is uneven on all sides, therefore an average of 6 inches. What I aim to achieve on this 6 month challenge is growth, growth and more GROWTH!! I’m hoping this rest period will give me a boost and finally propel me out of awkward length stage. Aaaiiiiii I can’t wait! You know time flies, 6 months will go by again like a breeze.

I'm looking forward to sharing my progress and the final results with you. I hope you’re as excited as I am!! I decided these braids will last me two months, it took a whole 3 1/2 days and they weren’t cheap.. Follow my social media pages @nappyese for daily updates.

Now for the million dollar Question

Will you join me on this challenge?

Love&Nappiness
Nappyese

Caring for your Natural Hair in Fall/Harmattan

Harmattan is here, the trees are getting bare. The dry and cold season is here again.  Many creatures of the earth will go into hibernation, and amongst those magical creatures will include our beautiful head of coils.

FALL/HARMATTAN HAIR CARE

My routine this season has not changed very much from my last winter season in FEBRUARY SECRETS: How to Care for Natural Hair in Winter/Dry Season

My basics are still the same;

SCALP MASSAGE/PRE-POO/HOT OIL TREATMENT

CO-WASH instead of Shampoo

DEEP CONDITION

SEAL

TRIM

PROTECT

 

Discovering Natural further emphasizes these point in her 5 Fall Natural Hair Care Routine MUST HAVE Video

What's slightly different for me this season is that I am incorporating a lot of protective styling. If you follow my instagram you know. Finally! Mushu and I can get a break from each other (Thank you holidays). It's hardly winter but it's already acting the most. One very important routine step to note is to REMEMBER TO TRIM. 

How to know When to Trim Your Afro

I hadn't trimmed Mushu in a minute. These were the signs it showed and I knew it was finally time to grab the scissors;

1. More Fairy Knots and tangles  than usual: Even though I was moisturizing regularly and doing my low maintenance bantu knot out and braids. I was getting a lot more tangles than per usual. 

2. SCANTY SEE THROUGH ENDS

 

3. DRYING FASTER THAN NORMAL: The more damage at your ends, the lesser the ability of your hair to retain moisture. You'd be pouring water into a basket. LITERALLY!

 

4. FAILED HAIRSTYLES: My simple usual hairstyles i used to get curl definition would bottom line result into knots and tangles with little to no definition. Even though I was following my exact same method of styling. This was a result of the coils refusing to clump together because of my damaged ends. 

 

 

Instagram: @nappyese

                                              

5. MORE BREAKAGE AND HAIR IN THE SINK: If basic mechanical efforts like detangling, styling combing is causing more snaps and breaks than usual. THen you know it is time for a trim

 

So when you notice any of these signs above, treat yourself to a trim. REMEMBER: HEALTH OVER LENGTH. Watch the short video below showing you how I trim my 4c hair, including a few of my protective style ideas for the Dry months ahead.

 

Happy Trimming! What protective style look will you be sporting this fall

 

Love&Nappiness

Nappyese

Four Elegant Updos for Natural Hair and Crotchet Hair

Want to look elegant with your natural hair or you want something a little more fun or sophisticated than the regular Puff or bun? Check out these four quick and easy UPDOS perfect for either long natural hair or short natural hair uai g crotchet Marley hair!

These UPDOS are also perfect for various occasions, be it work, school, date night or even a bridal look. Be sure to subscribe to Dumebi Lea's channel for more natural hair tutorial videos!
4 ELEGANT UPDOS FOR NATURAL HAIR

NATURAL OILS FOR NATURAL HAIR CARE

Natural Oil is Holy Grail when it come to hair care and scalp treatment.  From the Egyptians to the Greeks to the Arabians, different eras of civilization have applied the use of natural Oils for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. Mary even anointed Jesus’s feet with perfume made of pure Nard Oil in biblical times.

Uses/Benefits of Natural Oils

Natural Oils have many health benefits. Headache relief, cough relief, improve sleep, aid in weight-loss. In Hair care, they are used as sealants, moisturizers, conditioners, detanglers, treatments for Dandruff and scalp issues. Many naturalistas with ‘healthy hair’ boasts about the wonders of Natural Oils on their tresses when added to their regimen and method of moisturizing (LOC/LCO/LOCO).

They are also great for fighting skin issues. Tea-Tree Oil is used to fight acne and Lemon and Roseoil can lighten visibility of acne scars.


Types Of Natural Oils

Natural Oils are categorized into, Carrier Oils (CO) and Essential Oils (EO)


Carrier Oils

Jojoba Oil, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Avocado Oil, Castor Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Hempseed Oil, Canola Oil, Safflower Oil, Sunflower Oil, Emu Oil, Argan OIl, Sweet Almod Oil


Essential Oils

Tee-Tree Oil, Lavender Oil, Rosemary Oil, Cintronella Oil, Peppermint Oil, Basil Oil, Sandalwood Oil,Thyme Oil, Spearmint Essential Oil, Chamomile Oil.


Why Natural Oils are great for Natural Hair?

Essential Oils evaporate easily and penetrate the scalp and skin. They contain small concentrated molecules that can reach even the blood stream. Carrier Oils do not evaporate and are used to dilute essential oils, reducing its concentration without altering its therapeutic qualities.

• Rich in anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals from plant essence that can penetrate and nourish scalp and hair
• Used as conditioners, detanglers, sealants
• Natural oils add moisture and shine to your hair
• They moisturize the scalp helping to stop dry, flaky skin
• Help to get rid of dandruff
• Aid faster and healthier hair growth. Opening scalp pores and improving blood circulation
• Free of artificial and harmful chemicals
• Generally affordable to buying products containing processed ingredients

In my next posts we will discuss extensively on different ESSENTIAL AND CARRIER OILS. How to use them, apply them and their many benefits.  I mix Coconut oil and Citronella oil with my daily moisturizer and spritz. My hair and skin loves it!

Do you have favorite Natural Oils you use for your hair? What benefits have you noticed?



Love&Nappiness,

Ese.

Paulette's Hair Journey from Unhealthy to Healthy

My hair journey has been very eye opening and awakening for me. I always wondered but never really knew that it was possible for me to maintain and have long natural kinky hair, I especially didn’t know it could look good or be considered beautiful. Hopefully my journey so far can be a source of encouragement to those who need it or just a good read. I’m sure most black girls can relate in some way to my story. So here goes….

Growing up as a child I always had a head full of hair. I didn’t really pay any attention or know anything about what was considered good or bad hair. I just thought it was hair, something that basically grew out of your head that people liked to style to look cute. My mom usually would put my hair in braid extensions and on special occasions I would get my hair hot combed straight. But getting my hair done was always war. There were tears, there was running (me running away from the hair dresser), there was pulling and tugging, fussing, breaking (breaking of combs and I even broke a brush once), more tears and then their was peace, well sort of. My head would usually be left throbbing from the extensions being tight, or from getting burnt by the hot comb, or just from the war that went down to get my hair to cooperate in the first place. I did not like getting my hair done. But if I didn’t I would be left to look like a wild child and my mom wasn’t having that.

As I grew up I noticed how girls with long relaxed hair or really loosely curled hair got a lot more attention than girls like me. Not necessarily from boys, I didn’t even care about boys then, but from people in general. Someone older person would just casually walk up to them and be like, “Oh my goooossh! You’re so cute! You got some good hair. What’s your name?….”. They would only then realize that they haven’t said anything to me the whole time, so to be polite and not make me feel left out they would just say something nice and be on their way. You see, no one had to tell me my hair was what was considered ‘bad hair’, I just knew if it wasn’t good then it had to be bad. I also got the idea that I had ‘bad hair’ from constantly being told I had really nappy hair when my hair was being done. I’m sure they didn’t think that it had any real affect on me, but it did in the smallest but biggest of ways, if that makes sense.

After a while I silently started envying girls who had relaxers. I thought to myself, “Why can’t my hair be like that?” or “Why do I have bad nappy hair!?”. So I said enough is enough, I’m getting me some good hair. I made it a point of duty to nag my mom until she gave in, and she eventually did. At the age of 8 I got my hair relaxed and joined the good hair gang. Or atleast so I thought I did. My hair was long, it was at the middle of my small back. I was so happy. I could flip it and swing it and I didn’t have to worry about the war process of getting my hair done. It made my hair easier to deal with and more manageable for me and those around me as well. But little did I know there was still a battle to face ahead.

As years went by I noticed that most of the girls with relaxers, their hair became shorter and shorter with time. It looked scanty and it seemed to never really grow pass their neck or shoulders. Although my hair still remained pretty long, or at atleast what was considered long in the black community. That was probably due to the fact my hair was extremely thick and even though I relaxed it, it never seemed to fully relax. Which by the way, I almost always got burned or scabs from the relaxer being in my hair too long. But with time it never seemed to grow pass my shoulders. I decided that black people were just the race with bad hair that couldn’t be long with or without relaxer. I couldn’t understand why God would give us the bad hair and every other race the good hair. It seemed very unfair. So I grew up embracing the fact that black people just have the short end of the rope in life and we just have to make the best of what we have.

When I entered university as a Freshman I can say I was honestly fed up with my hair. It was just blah! I still had a good length to it sort of and got compliments every now and then but it just wasn’t doing it for me. It was thin and always breaking, and I was fed up with getting burnt from relaxers. I had tried to stop putting relaxers in my hair as a teenager but eventually went back to relaxing because of discouragement from a hair stylist and others around me, and I had no idea how to deal with the kinky afro textured hair growing out of my scalp. I did noticed that the longer I waited to get relaxers the longer and fuller my hair seemed to get. So I started stretching the time in between getting a relaxer. I tried to only get 3 to 4 relaxers in a year. But then I went to a hair salon that completely jacked my hair up. They left the relaxer in my hair for way too long and decided to fry my hair with heat as well, as if they wanted to fry chicken. All my progress went down the drain. I was fed up! Out of frustration and looking for a solution to help make my hair healthy again I started searching on the internet how to get healthy long hair. To my surprise I found some nice articles on how to do it but the biggest surprise was the information that started coming up on natural hair and growing your hair natural and long. When I saw some of the women who had decided to take that route and the way their hair looked and the lengths they were able to achieve I was hooked and immediately said I’m not putting another relaxer in my head, and I meant it.

February 2011 is the month and year I began my transition to natural hair. It’s one of the best hair decisions I’ve ever made in my life. We’re now in the year 2017 and I have no regrets. Despite the fact that I have had my fair share of difficulties with learning how to take care of my hair and I’ve done some things I shouldn’t have. I’ve done a lot of the right things to help maintain and grow my hair out, which has resulted in my hair growing longer than it’s ever been in my life. It’s been a wonderful and sometimes frustrating process but nevertheless it’s been the best. I think the best part of my journey is realizing that as a black girl I’m not flawed and God ddn’t make any mistakes when he made the black race. We’re beautiful and our hair amazeballs! We just have to learn to understand and embrace who we are and what we have. Going natural basically basically helped me to accept myself fully as a black person, and I love it. I’m still not at my goal length yet, which is waist length long hair, but I’m gradually getting there and I’m happy to share the information I’ve learned along the way so far.

So if you were wondering about going natural or unsure whether you should start I want to encourage you to give it a try. It can truly be rewarding and you’ll be thankful you did.

If you want to watch My Natural Hair Journey on YouTube click the link below

My Natural Hair Journey (4b/4c Hair)

Don’t forget to Like, Comment, Share, and subscribe! Thanks

Paulette Ora

How to return Natural in 2017... in 8 Steps

Hello everyone. Happy New Year. We pray 2017 brings far better things than 2016 ever did. When it comes to hair care, what more way to start the year than making defining decisions about our hair?

And for those who have decided to just start your natural hair journey...

Here’s how to’return’ natural in 2017… 

STEP 1. 

Look at your image in the mirror.

What do you see? Ask yourself  ‘Why do I want to return Natural?   Because you want to get to know yourself? Because you’ve seen other naturalistas and realize how beautifully amazing what you have, or what you could potentially have is? Or is it the ‘IN’ thing now. Everybody’s returning natural and you no go carry last.

Why are you returning natural? You will need a solid reason, because this will be the back bone of your journey. And when push comes to shove, this will stand between you and your decision go back to creamy crack (relaxers). Why I went Natural; see my natural hair journey

STEP 2.

Research! 

At this point returning natural is somewhere on the list. Maybe not Top 5 on the New Years resolution list but it’s somewhere!

The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step! (I love this quote!!) Your first step here should be research. Take it from me, you don’t want to start in on this journey totally clueless! Chances are you most probably have been on creamy crack from the age of 6, if you were lucky age 10 and you have little to no idea how to deal with your kinks. Gourg on beautiful natural hair images on Pintrest, follow natural hair vloggers on YouTube, google about natural hair and read natural hair blogs. This is also a good time to get a small book to document your findings.

STEP 3.

Know that black hair is different 

    

Yes your hair is SPECIAL! We like to say MAGIC! I mean it makes history all the time!

It has been proved scientifically that black hair has specific structural features that make it differ from other hair types. These differences are responsible for excess breakage, splitting of the hair shaft, knotting (SSK’s), shrinkage and all the other magical stuff that come with being natural. 

It is also known to have fewer cuticle layers than any other hair type. So NO it won’t blow gloriously in the wind (until many years), you can’t run your fingers through it every other minute, and it certainly don’t wake up looking bed-head fab. You will learn to love it for what it is.

STEP 4.

Reality Check! NATURAL HAIR IS NOT FOR LAZY PEOPLE!

If you followed the steps above, by now you may (or may not) have realized the effort other Naturalistas go through to get moist healthy-looking fros.

Its point-blank simple! Natural Hair is not for lazy people! It will cost time and effort to learn to understand your hair, the way it behaves, products its responds to, how to style etc. You will spend a fair amount of time watering your coils to keep it strong and fight breakage. I like to liken growing natural hair as to growing a plant. You have to water, protect, trim, cultivate it before it blooms.

When people refer to ‘LAZY NATURALS’ it’s about being laid back when it comes only to styling. All the other ground work of washing, conditioning and moisturizing is ALWAYS done. And that’s ok! You will find that the more you leave your hair alone, the faster it will grow.

STEP 5.

Know that Natural Hair does not have to be Expensive. 

Truth be told the only expense you will really need to invest in once you gain an understanding of who you are and how your hair works is Time. Using fancy products and styling tools are for the ones who want and can afford to. The term Natural will start to apply in every sense once you begin your journey and you will notice more life changing decisions in your lifestyle. You can be natural with just African Black soap, Shea butter and braids every other month as the next naturalista with the entire range of Caro’s Daughter and stocks of styling tools. It just a matter of choice really!

STEP 6.

BIG CHOP OR TRANSISTION?

 CUT IT, CUT IT, CUT IT, CUT IT. Just do it.

Even if it feels like the end of the world, remember there are worse things in life than cutting your hair. No one can explain to you in words the feeling of triumph, bravery and confidence that comes with shaving your hair off. Because at that moment, it will just be about you and you alone. And this only the tip of the iceberg of the wonderful burst of emotions you will experience on your journey. This feeling my not come immediately and perhaps not even in the next few months following your big chop. Till now I have not heard of a anyone who did the BC and have regretted their decision.

Most people who transitioned will tell you one thing, its haaaarrrrrdddddd bruh. Except you intend to forever keep your hair in braids or any protective style you love until your coils grow to a length you are comfortable with seeing, you will need to prepare even more for the work of caring for multiple texture of your head. Another thing with transitioning is that you will spend more time in general getting to understand your kinks than you would if you BC and baby step from day one. And seriously,who would want to miss Teeny Weeny Afro(TWA) stage????

STEP 7.

Budget your 5 years 

You’ve done the big Chop! Subscribed to Natural Hair Channels on YouTube, followed all the amazing natural hair blogs and naturalistas for hairspiration and you stay dreaming every day about your bra-strap length of glorious kinks that will belong to you.

Before frustration comes knocking on your door, let me quickly tell you to budget at least 5 years of growing time to achieve that . From what I’ve seen from long haired naturalistas, it takes about 4 to 5 years to get that big hair shoulder length after shrinkage kinda look. And from experience it takes about 2 years to even begin to understand the phenomenon that is our hair.

Everything is personalised in this game! What works for others may not work for you. Chances are you will do another big chop within your first 1-2 year on your journey. Sounds far-fetched? Just ask the nearest Naturalista. So you should actually be budgeting 7 years for that jaw dropping length most of dream of. LOL, it’s not that serious though. But for the first 2-3 years, try to focus more on the overall health of your strands and less on length.

STEP 8.

Document your Journey 

Once you establish in the corner of your mind that a huge afro won’t just grow on your scalp overnight, and that you will need to work for it, you know to relax and enjoy the journey. It’s not just a thing that we say. It really is a Journey, one of self-discovery. We have to learn things our mothers never knew and taught us.  Keep a hair journal, start a blog, take length check photos. DO whatever it takes to keep your head and hair in the game, forming the habits of caring for your hair, finding out things that work and don’t. There is nothing more motivating than proof of progress!

Returning Natural is so much more than hair. To me it’s the one of the most self-empowering decision a black woman could make. I mean dealing with everything that comes with being woman, and then having our type of hair?? Talk about Super-Women!

I hope these steps help to guide you on your decision to returning natural. For more insight on natural hair Download my free e-book NappyHair by Ese|Guide to Beautiful Healthy Hair and to subscribe to NappyeseTv on YouTube for more Natural Hair care tips!

These post may also help:

Top 10 Tools and Things for Nappy Hair After the Big Chop!

Ingredients to avoid in your Natural Hair Products

 All the best for the New Year♥ and see you on the other side!!

Love&Nappiness

Ese

#HAIRSPIRATION: 5 Amazing Natural Hair B/Vloggers to follow!

Hi everyone. It's been a minute!  Beez are buzzing, Birds are chirping, flowers are blooming cos spring is in the air here in South Africa in our humble city of Jozzzzzaayyy!! Don’t know bout you but I’m soooo ready for summer... to feel the heat again, eat ice-cream, stomp at music festivals and whine and complain about how hot it is, hahah. I’m literally sticking my tongue out at all yall winter people, step aside cos summers moving in! Haha

Today, I’m bringing  you lovely nappy folks 5 amazing African Natural Hair Bloggers and Vloggers I follow for some #Hairspiration. Lord knows some inspiration is needed on this natural hair journey, cos you get those days neh. Those Nappy Blue days.. when you feel like you’d rather have anything else but your stubborn kinks and those other ones when you feel like you’ll never make your length goals.. lol (as If).

Follow these amazing women for hairspiration. They have been in the game longer than I have and they share amazing styling, length retention and Hair Growth tips on all of their pages!

DiscoveringNatural

#Hairspiration DiscoveringNatural

DiscoveringNatural is the one to follow for hairspiration on how to deal with your kiddies natural hair. She and her two beautiful daughters are serious hair goals!! Her blog and vlogs has everything from transitioning tips to DIYs, to coffee rinses, not to mention and a whopping 64k following on her YouTube! I love to see her and her kids on my timeline and she is the perfect example of the mother I want to be in terms of taking care and teaching my kids on natural hair care

Follow her pages here:

BLOG: www.discoveringnatural.blogspot.com

VLOG/YOUTUBE; @DiscoveringNatural

FACEBOOK: DiscoveringNatural



TOO AND A LEE

 

Thulis tapered cut with goldi-lock tips is refreshing! In this era where most of us naturalistas are scraping for length. I think she’s pretty cool and its so fun to read her Blog! I love to see her gorgeous blond tips as I scroll down my Instagram TL as well as her motivating quotes. She shares her 4dddd (lol) nappy hair tips on her blog as well as other fun shenanigans on her passion for fashion, travel, and cooofeeee!! Check out her pages here:

#Hairspiration TooandaLee

BLOG: www.tooandalee.com

INSTAGRAM: @tooandalee

FACEBOOK: TooandaLee



IGBO CURLS

#Hairspiration IgboCurls

Igbo Curls ooooooooo! Choi! Chinwe from Igbo Curls has an incredibly stunning head full of beautiful luscious  kinks.. lol, thats how obsessed I am! When you read her natural hair story you would probably shed a tear because too many of us have gone through the same experiences for the sake of straight hair. Chinwe has been natural for 5 years and has blogged for four. She is everybody’s hair goals and has recently launched her mobile app!!! Natural Hair Care right at your finger tips!!! You can find Igbo Curls here:

BLOG: www.igbocurls.com

VLOG/YOUTUBE: IgboCurls


FRO CHIC

  

Nangamso of FroChic shares her tips on how she cares for and maintains her gorgeous locs. She does product reviews and giveaways and vlogs on how she curls and styles her dreadlocks. In the future I would love to lock my hair too and she is inspiration!! She constantly features other naturals on her blog as well, so there is never shortage of hairspiration here

#Hairspiration FroChic

Check out her pages here:

BLOG: www.frochic.co.za

VLOG/YOUTUBE: FroCHic

FACEBOOK: FroChic


NAPPYFU

#Hairspiration NappyFu

NappyFu gives a real and fresh perspectives when she talks about her 4chair. Her weekly vlogs contain care and styling tips catering to 4a,4b and 4c hair. They so much fun to watch and guaranteed to give you a happy feeling. She is my favorite vlogger and I can totally relate to her Nappiness! I love Nappy Fu! Check out her awesome videos on her YouTube channel here:

VLOG/YOUTUBE: NappyFu Tv

FACEBOOK: NappyFU

INSTAGRAM: @Nappyfu


I hope you enjoyed this read! Share this post with your friends! Information on Natural Hair Care is everywhere! #hairspiration when you see a gorgeous head of kinks online today Let's celebrate the beauty of Nappy hair ♥

Which natural hair b/vloggers do you follow? Share with me in the comments.

PS: You can email contact@nappyese.com to be featured! #hairpsiration

Love and Nappiness,

Ese.

Ese's Natural Hair Journey

Hi I’m ese ( pronounced like the English ESSAY, without the AY drag but with a short E. get it?) It means Gift in Urhobo, a language of the Delta people from the Southern part of Nigeria.

I’m a 22-year-old African Fashion Model, a travelling nomad, a believer in Love, the power of the Universe, positive thoughts and feelings. I fell IN LOVE with my NAPPY hair in March 2014 and I have never looked back. Its hasn’t been the easiest journey, trying to grow breakage prone NAPPY HAIR whilst dreaming of world domination and sauntering down VS Runway with a BIG FAT AFRO, but I always was the odd Plum Blossom. One of the biggest rewards of ‘returning natural’ is the refreshing and deserving self-love and confidence I have come to acquire.

‘I AM MY HAIR, MY HAIR IS ME’

You probably have guessed by now that Nappy is my w♥rd for Natural™.   I looooooovveee to be NAPPY!


Why I decided to go natural

Back in 2013 I was head over heels for a guy who was obsessed with his idea of what real ‘African beauty is' cue eye roll, every sensible man out there knows a woman’s’ beauty is whatever the hell she chooses it to be {pun intended}. He wanted me to ‘return’ natural and of course as a young girl foolishly in love all I wanted was to please him.

One look in the mirror at my left profile; damaged hairline from that one time I had beautiful Senegalese twist in varsity. I also had so much breakage from dying my hair jet black for 3 years in senior high.  Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea to start afresh. I’ve had relaxers in my hair for more than 12 years and I had absolutely no idea how to deal with my nappy hair. Flashback to being six and the Saturday afternoon ritual, head bent between Iya Mutai’s thighs, crying for mercy as her tiny toothed tail comb rips off my scalp to get my kinks into cornrows for school on Monday. Oh the agony! Yup, it’s the kind of pain you never EVER! forget.

If I was going to do this I needed some sort of inspiration and direction. Thank heavens for Pintrest! I looked up natural hair and beautiful images of dark-skinned women like me with long nappy hair popped up. I became a woman obsessed. How is this possible?! As far as I knew, black hair didn’t grow and it’s so hard and difficult to deal with. All I knew was if they could grow hair like that, there's no reason why I couldn’t, so I spent the first 3 months stalking every beautiful woman with beautiful long nappy hair. I followed them on Instagram, visited their blogs, watched their vlogs and hair tutorials. It was a whole new world. A world of pre-pooing, deep conditioning, satin scarves, co-washing, bagging, lol.. The list is really endless, No really it is!

What doesn’t kill you will make you stronger!

Every nappy haired folk you come across will tell you that the journey to re-discovering, learning to love and understand one of the most complex fiber structure that is our hair is never an easy one. For me as a fashion model, I feel it has been even a bit harder, because my job entails looking a certain way most of the time, and then morphing into any kind of avatar the client wants you to be for their idea. But looking back, returning natural is a decision I will take time again. There is nothing like loving and embracing yourself the way that you have been made with all the bag and baggage that comes with being YOU! It is a such a powerful feeling.

Watch my video below to see my journey from tattered tresses to healthy looking beautiful kinks. Don’t forget to subscribe to my channel and leave a comment! Would love to hear your thoughts!



Love and Nappiness,

Nappyese

Introducing Natural Nation Salon in Abuja

 

"BACK TO YOUR ROOTS"

Natural Nation is a store front retailer & full service natural hair salon with 3 shops servicing Abuja. (1) Located in Sysak plaza Gwarinpa, Abuja, (2) Mabushi Ultra modern Market and (3) SimChristy Plaza in Gudu / Apo in Abuja.
They specialise in selling natural hair care products from some of the best local & global brands.
 

The philosophy at Natural Nation is that natural products are a necessary foundation to healthy, natural hair.

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  They specialise in Braiding, Dreadlocks, "The Big chop" and natural hair treatment with styling capabilities ranging from fun and funky to sophisticated and conservative.

There is a selection of wash and naturally-curly styles, as well as straight, blow-out styles you can do on the go e.g on your way to work in the morning or on the way to a function etc.

You can also get various hair styles ranging from bantu knots to crochet braids or  choose from a variety of protective hairstyles on offer.

If you have an interesting hairstyle you want to try out, just bring a picture and they'll work the magic.

They cater to kids and adults and stock a wide range of natural hair products including the best shea butter in town, you can also arrange for manicures, pedicures and a whole range of things.

             


            
So book your appointment today for a hair and product consultation, call 092914841
follow on twitter @naturalnation2  and you can like them on facebook

GWARIMPA LOCATION
SUITE A8 SYSAK PLAZA
5213 ROAD OFF 1ST AV OPPOSITE THE REDEEMED CHRISTIAN CHURCH GWARINPA
ABUJA

GUDU/ APO LOCATION
3RD Floor plot118
Sim Christy  Plaza opposite Sharia court
Gudu Apo, Abuja

For affordable products, braids  a quick steam or simple twist, call the express shop in Mabushi Ultra Modern Market near NEXT Supermarket  for an appointment on 092919989