"Isn't She Lovely?": The Series

I have a number of friends who are natural and wear their hair in various styles. I love the diversity that we women have in the way we style our hair, so much so that I was inspired to ask a few of them to share their natural hair stories. Now, each woman has a different texture and does various things with her hair. You may see someone who has a similar hair texture as you so please feel free to borrow some of the tips you see. (I know I will!) I've received a number of responses back, and I'm getting excited from just reading what these ladies shared. Some of these women I've been friends with for years, and we've never discussed why we went natural. And to make things fair, I will answer the same questions I requested of these ladies. So, once a week, we will feature a new "napptural" girl, pictures and all, so you can see the versality and diversity of our natural hair. Don't worry, you'll get my regular blog updates along with the "Isn't She Lovely?" series. So until next time, stay nappturally beautiful...

Frederick Benjamin/Michael Craig Photoshoot

At the beginning of this month, I had a behind-the-scenes invite to view the Frederick Benjamin/Michael Craig photoshoot in DC. For those of you that don't know, Frederick Benjamin is a new natural hair and scalp treatment line created by Michael James. Initially started for multicultural men, this product has customers of all races and both genders. Free of harmful alcohols, synthetic agents, and mineral oils, the Frederick Benjamin products are full of natural oils to ensure hair is at its optimal peak and maintains moisture and shine without being greasy. Affordably priced, Frederick Benjamin ) has a full line of products to ensure complete hair care.



Now, for me, Michael Craig Men's Grooming is a first. This is the first ever full service barbershop that I have visited, not that I visit a lot of barbershops! This business, exclusively for men, offers shampoos, haircuts, shaves, manicures, pedicures, and other services for its clients. Located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of DC, this barbershop provides customers with complimentary wi-fi, flat screen televisions to watch sports, and allows men to bond while they are recieving the latest in men's grooming; Michael Craig even has the Resource and Educational Center where professionals can learn the latest techniques in men's grooming.
While spending a few hours at the shoot, my girl Original Najeema and I were able to witness all of the work that went into making the models get camera ready and view the instructional video that was made. We were able to speak with Mr. James and his cousin Alex Sutton III, who works in business development for the line, about their hopes for where these photos and videos will be distributed. A relationship was also established with Mr. Craig, who has had his barbershop open for approximately 3 years. The shoot also afforded us the opportunity to meet make-up artists, an image consultant, and a few of the models.
This was an eventful occasion, and I am glad that I was able to be a part. So, for you guys, and ladies, I suggest you give Frederick Benjamin a try. You won't be disappointed with the results. And to you gentlemen that live in the DMV, or will be visiting the area, I encourage you to visit Michael Craig Men's Grooming. I don't think you'll be disappointed with the results.
Until next time, stay nappturally beautiful...and handsome!

I Admit It- I Made a Mistake

Ok, I'm a big girl and can admit when I made a mistake. I should not have altered my natural-I should not have pressed my hair-I should not have let the Dominicans blow my hair out (no matter how pretty it looked!). What I thought would be a great alternative for my hair and a breather for me (wearing natural my sew-in)turned into a disaster...or made a bad situation worse. I took out my sew-in, used some great products (which I will tell you all about later), but when my hair dried and I was ready to wear it out I realized it is not in wear out condition. Meaning that I have so much damage to it that I had to cut it (sigh)... Yes, I have toyed around with this idea before, and I even shared it with you guys. But I didn't really THINK that I would have to cut it. To be honest with you, I'm not sure what I can contribute my hair damage to-it could be the heat I had put on it through pressing, blow-drying, and flat ironing, it could be I didn't condition it and take care of it the way I should have, the sew-in made it worse, or it be a combination of all of the above. All I know is after I took out my sew-in (which I received many compliments on), I was shocked and amazed at what I saw in the mirror and felt with my hands. My hair was broken off in some places, dry in other places, and just all around looked like a hot mess. Not to talk badly about children, but you all have seen the little girl whose mama you want to slap because she obviously has NOT been taking care of her child's hair; it's different lengths, straight in some places, short in others, and looks like no one cares about the health of her hair. Yes, I am that little girl (at 20 something), and I want to kick my own behind. I truly believe that if I had just kept wearing my natural curly 'fro last summer and using my Miss Jessie's Curly Pudding/Baby Buttercreme, Jamaican Lime Loc and Twist creme, and Carol's Daughter Pomade I would not be in this situation right now.
So, what can I do to get my hair back on the right track? Well, I've already taken one step. I have cut my hair so that it is even (for the most part). Yes, I do plan on going to a salon so a stylist can repair my hair, but to be honest I am really embarassed by the state of my tresses (or lack thereof). So, this summer I will definitely be on "Mission Impossible: The Napptural Girl Grows out her Tresses". If any of you have ANY suggestions on maintaining a short crop and helping to grow hair, I am ALL ears. Also, please feel free to share your hair disasters and how you fixed it. In the meantime, stay nappturally beautiful

Celebrating Black Love and Natural Hair

I know you all are just as shocked as I am-more than 2 posts from me for the month of April!! LOL! As April is my favorite month of the year (I get to celebrate my birthday and the weather truly turns to Springtime), I've let my excitement pour over into my blog. So, I came across this article on Clutch Magazine (LOVE this website!) and had to share with my followers. I'm sure you all are aware of the media hoopla surrounding single black women. Well, one blogger, Leila Nolliste, decided to do a "backlash" to the plight that seems to surround black women. She encouraged her followers to not only submit pictures of them with their husband or fiancee', but she also wanted to see their NATURAL hair!!! As someone who is beyond tired of hearing about the single black woman in mass media, I'm so encouraged by the this post. It lets me, and other women like me, know that love is out there...and it's real. We just have to be patient. Click here to read the article. Until next time, stay nappturally beautiful....

Encourage Yourself...and Each Other

In the Black community, the "crabs in a barrel" concept is nothing foreign to us...unfortunately. The practice of tearing each other down to bring ourselves up has been a part of our culture for centuries. It is so easy to talk about someone else in hopes of bringing up your own self esteem. This concept even goes to our hair. While living in Florida, I received a few "looks" (akin to "Why is she wearing her hair like that?") from other black people after I went natural and had my 'fro; it took my own father to get used to my new look, not to mention my 7 year old cousin that lives in South Carolina who said "I don't like your hair like that" when she saw me when I went home for a visit. After my move to DC, where there are many more women who are natural, I felt more comfortable in my choice. Now, my mother raised me to not let what people say or what they think about me to affect me. She always told me to hold my head high and to believe in myself. Wouldn't it be amazing if all women taught their daughters, nieces, sisters, and friends to believe in themselves no matter what? We need to teach our girls to believe that they are beautiful, no matter how short their hair, how much money they make, or where they live. I'm sure that most of us have experienced some form of childhood torture, directed at us or not, ranging from "You're too black", "Your hair is nappy", or "You're stupid", among others. I think that if girls were taught at a young age that they were beautiful and worthy, they would feel comfortable being their natural selves. Now, don't get me wrong-I'm not saying that if all Black women felt beautiful they would be natural. I'm just saying that if we were encouraged as little girls we would feel beautiful no matter what.
I know I was kinda all over the place with this post, but as someone who has worked with middle school and high school aged girls for years, I felt like this was something important to discuss. So, I challenge all of you to encourage that young girl you see at church, where you volunteer, or even that girl that lives in your neighborhood. If she hears it enough, she may start believing it...

The New 'Do

So, I did it... I got my sew-in! (But shhhhh....don't tell anyone, because a lot of people think it's my hair!) In an effort to give my hair a much needed break, and to switch up my style, I decided to get my sew-in. The good thing is is that it's not over the top, and people think it's my hair! My friend did, and it turned out GREAT! (even though my head still hurts a little...) A lot of my friends loved it and thought it was my hair, so I am very thankful for that! And another great thing is that I can style it as I did my own hair when I wore it natural. Depending on how much my hair grows during this process, I may go back to my hair during the late Fall/early Winter. I do have some breakage, so hopefully this break will allow my hair to grow. If not, I am prepared to cut my hair off, and start over...(Yeah, I'm actually still praying about that...) But don't fret, the hair stories will continue. I'm sure I will have tons of stories with the new 'do, and I will be sure to provide some tips. The post I'm really excited about posting is on products. I actually had a chance to be involved in a discussion on product choices, so I can't wait to share that with you guys! Until next time, stay nappturally beautiful!!

Keratin Hair Treatments

This past weekend, a friend and I were having a discussion on what to do with our hair for the summer (yes, she read my previous post!). She had mentioned that she was interested in getting a Keratin Hair Treatment, but didn't know that much about it. So, being the nice person I am, I decided to do some research and blog about it. Now, this post in no way is my endorsement for Keratin treatments, nor is it my saying don't get the Keratin treatment. This is strictly for informational purposes only! I will outline exactly what a Keratin treatment is, how long it lasts, the average costs, and any side effects.

First, Keratin is a natural protein found in nails, skin, and hair. A keratin treatment is a non-chemical (or low chemical depending on whose site you go to) treament that keeps hair straight up to 4 months. Keratin treatments claim to remove frizz and make hair straight, sleek, shiny, and more manageable. To seal in the keratin, hair can be flat-ironed for a total of 5 times with a 450 degree flat iron. The total process can take up to 5 hours, depending on the length and thickness of the hair, and no water can touch the hair for the first 72 hours after a treatment is done. Clients can also not wear bobby pins, hair ties/bows, nor can they tuck hair behind their ears. The average price is $300. Clients must also purchase a special shampoo and conditioner to use on their hair to maintain the treatment for as long as possible. As time goes on, the treatment will leave the hair and the hair will return to its normal state until the next treatment.

Some of the side effects of keratin treatments are excessive hair loss, deterioration of hair texture, harsh smells (while the product is being applied), the client have a burning sensation, and the treatment does contain formaldehyde.

So, ladies, I will say proceed with caution, as you would with any product or treatment you would do to your hair, whether it's a press, blow-out, etc. I hope this helped to inform those of you who wanted more information about Keratin treatments. If any of you have had a keratin treatment or know someone who has, please feel free to share your story. As always, stay nappturally beautiful!