Happy Nappy Day

I know, I know...it's been a while since I have posted. I hope you have missed me as much as I have missed you. I have been working on some other endeavors, but I will always have a love for my natural hair and you all! I know you're wondering what my hair looks like!! Well, I have finally gotten my summer 'do-- Two-strand twists, which a nice gentleman told me were beautiful yesterday when I was at Subway! (Pics are coming soon!) I thought what better way to come back to you all than to share an event that I'm looking forward to-Happy Nappy Day!!!

Happy Nappy Day will be held on July 11 in Baltimore at Gwynn Oak Park. This event is free to the public, and I am actually a little excited as I have never been to a natural hair event before. Poets will be there to perform, and organizers are looking for vendors. (Check out the site for more information.) I will be sure to share my experiences with you guys (and some tips I learn)! I hope to see you all there, even if you're not natural. Until next time, stay nappturally beautiful!

Happy Black Girl Day

Happy Black Girl Day!!! For those of you that don't know what HBGD is, it was started by The Beautiful Struggler as a way for us to celebrate the Black woman as opposed to degrading, diminishing, and belitting. To do my part, I will be highligting various Black women in all walks of life to highlight us as beautiful, happy, successful people. Today's post will highlight my favorite Natural Sistas!


- Jill Scott- This woman's style is AMAZING! I love her hair, her clothes, her aura-she just seems like a very natural, earthy, happy woman. (And it doesn't hurt that I get a lot of "You look like Jill Scott"s!! :) In all seriousness, she's great, and I look to her for inspiration.


- Chrisette Michelle- I love her new haircut, and for awhile was tempted to get my hair that short (I have re-considered that decision). She's another black woman who exudes confidence, charisma, and a fierce style.


- Corinne Bailey Rae- I love her ringlets. (And have attempted to create my own on more than one occasion!) She always looks so fresh and youthful. It's hard not to love her hair.


- Lauryn Hill- No matter how she rocks it, she looks great!


- Erykah Badu- Regardless of what you think of some of her actions, Ms. Badu's style has always been in a class of its own, including her tresses!

I love how we, as Black women, come in all hues, shapes, sizes, personalities, and so does our hair! If our hair isn't together, we don't feel together. So, who's your natural girl inspiration? Feel free to share and name people that I completely forgot about!! Until next time, stay nappturally beautiful

Isn't She Lovely: Part I

Well, it's finally here-the beginning of the "Isn't She Lovely" series. As mentioned in an earlier post, I am beginning to highlight some ladies whom I think have a great natural hair story and have some tips that we can learn from. First up, is Miss Tamieka.

How long have you been natural/when was the last time you received a relaxer/texturizer? My last perm was June of 2007 (I think)
Why did you decide to go natural? My hair has never done well with a perm., and after coming to DC and seeing so many women embracing their natural texture, not perming anymore was just a natural step. After a few months after my last perm, I realized it had been a long time since I had a perm and I didn’t see any point in getting one.
How did you transition to natural hair? I gradually cut my perm out while transitioning with braids.
What is your favorite way to style your hair? Braidouts. My hair shrinks up a lot so if I want my hair to look like it has any length at all I have to either to twist outs or braidout. I find that braidouts give me more definition.
What is your favorite product to use on your hair? I love Butter-N-Bars.com’s Conditioning Hair Masque. It loosens the curl patter a little, long enough to comb through it easily and do great braidouts. Plus it leaves my hair super soft. In my opinion no type 4 should be without it.
What is your worst natural hair memory/worst hair disaster? Too many list. But the most recent was when I went to a beauty school for a roller set. It was the worse thing ever. I should have gotten up from the chair as soon as she tried to put a comb through my dry hair. Yikes!
Do you think you’ll be natural the rest of your life? Yes. I cannot imagine ever going back to the creamy crack. However if I ever left DC, depending on the location, I recognize there might be a chance I’d have to wear my hair straight. (I know I never have to , but you get what I’m saying).
Have you read any books or blogs that have aided you in your natural hair journey? Again, too many to list. I love curlynikki.com, textureplayground.com, newlynatural.com, motowngirl.com, and Nappturality.com
Has being natural done anything for your self-esteem? It has reminded me like India says, “I am not my hair”.I don’t have to hide behind hair, I have learned to love my face whether my hair is braided, twisted or in a TWA. I feel most true to myself when my hair is in its natural state.
What are some comments you have received from family/friends/strangers regarding your natural hair, positive or negative? Well almost all of my friends are natural (all but maybe 2 or 3) or transitioning, so I get lot of positive feedback from them. My mom was nervous at first but she loves it. My dad, surprisingly enough loved it from the start. (he’s old school so I was expecting him to object). The only person who is not ok with my decision to wear my hair natural is my boyfriend’s mother, though I’m not sure why she cares *shrugs*

Thanks to Tamieka for agreeing to be featured on The Natural Girl Diaries. I really appreciate it! If you have any questions, comments, or want to share based on Tameika's comments, feel free! Until next time, stay nappturally beautiful!

Summer Care for your Hair

As we are officially 19 days from the first day of summer, I feel it is my duty to share with you ladies (and gentlemen) some tips to keep your locs in tip-top shape for the summer to make sure your hair is not dull and damaged by the time Fall rolls around. (And for those of you still a part of the dark side (relaxers) I'm sure these will help you, too!

1. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize: It's important to keep hair moisturized 24/7/365, so summertime is even more important. With sun exposure being inevitable, it's super important to ensure that our hair maintains its moisture. Sun can dry out hair (and skin), so it's so very important to find a daily moisturizer to keep our hair soft and shiny without being greasy. Some items to try are Carol's Daughter Hair Milk, Frederick Benjamin Daily Hydrator, or any natural product with jojoba, avocado, or olive oil.

2. Wear or use a satin hair cap/pillowcase: Cotton pillowcases have a tendency to break hair and cause split ends, so to protect your tresses sleep wearing a satin scarf (we should all be used to it as our mothers wrapped our hair as little girls) or sleep with a satin pillowcase. Satin is a soft fabric that protects hair from breakage.

3. Use an umbrella when going out: Yes, it may sound crazy if it's not raining, but using an umbrella at an outdoor festival, the beach, or bbq will protect your tresses from sun damage. Yes, we all love being outside on a gorgeous, but you don't want to sacrifice your beautiful tresses, do you?!?!

4. For my swimmers, condition your hair pre-pool and wear a swim cap: Another not so cute girl move, but wearing a swim cap will protect hair from chlorine damage...and any other unnatural thing that may be in pool water! Also, pre-conditioning your hair will protect the hair shaft from chlorine damage.

5. Get some fake hair: Yes, I said it, and I'll say it again...GET SOME FAKE HAIR! Yes, I'm a proponent of some weave (as we all know from a previous post), and there is nothing wrong with that. I believe in protecting my hair by any means necessary. So if I have to add somebody else's hair to my hair, I'm willing to make that sacrifice! As long as my hair is braided and the weave is done right, I shouldn't have any problems with keeping my tresses healthy and bringing letting them breathe in the fall.

I hope these tips help. I'm sure there are plenty more, so if I've missed a few, feel free to add some. Until next time, stay nappturally beautiful.