Protective Style #6...Crochet MICROBRAIDS

After my first attempt at crochet braids I knew I wanted them again but I wasn't excited about using the most popular brand Freetress because it is all curly styles. I didn't want curly hair. What I wanted was an easy-no-fuss-protective style. In the past that meant getting braids.

I love microbraids but I don't love the 12+ hours it can take. Nor do I love how microbraids can be damaging to hair if not careful.

That's where this beauty comes in



Pre-braided Microbraids. I found the packs at my local BSS for $2 a pack. I picked up 6 in color 1B.

I went to Harlem to have my hair cornrowed.



The ends of the braids are sewed up (couldn't get a good picture of the back)

Simple braid pattern of going all back. My hair is fine so the braider used kanekalon hair to make the braids firm. Braiding across in the back would have been ideal so they could lie flat, but I think I can fix that with adding a row at the very bottom of kanekalon hair.

To help prevent the braids from unraveling too soon I put a tiny drop of Krazy Glue on the ends.



(waiting for the glue to dry, takes a few seconds to a minute)



This install took me about 4 hours because I kept taking breaks.



 

The braids are about 22" in length so they hit the top of my butt. Cutting them really wasn't an option because of the extra work to prevent unraveling, also I didn't want them short. Straight and short...ehhh.

The braids aren't as heavy as if I really had my hair braided.

Removal is super duper easy and because I glued the ends I can reuse (woohoo)

I feel like I should be on a beach, with a drink in my hand and a bikini on my body with braids this long. They should be blowing in a tropical breeze.

Until next time,

xo

 

Protective Style # 5- Crochet Braids

As my quest process of growing my hair out continues I decided to put in crochet braids for my 5th protective style.
If you go off of YouTube it looks simple enough.
For the most part it is...
Crochet braids are when your own hair is cornrowed and the extension is looped through the base with a crochet hook and then tied into a knot.
Simple, right?
While protective styles are great for keeping my hair...well...protected from the weather and daily manipulation they can be expensive. Braiders can charge up to $200 to install crochet braids. You can use synthetic or human hair.
Because synthetic is cheaper, last longer, and requires less maintenance I went with that.
I chose Freetress Brazilian Braid.

I wanted a curly/wavy pattern the likes of which my real hair is dreaming of being when it reaches my goal length ( chin length).
I wasn't ready to pay someone what YT swears can be done by yourself...but I don't know how to cornrow.
I went to my local beauty school and had cornrows put in for $40 bucks.
I bought 5 packs of hair for $6 each.
$80 for my style is a hell of a lot better than $200.
My hair is thick at the roots and then become fine :-(
Cornrows done on my hair don't fair well unless it is braided with extension hair.
Unfortunately the beauty school doesn't allow their students to braid with extensions.
That makes NO sense to me.
Anyway I was lucky to get a student that is not only a fantastic braider she also understands natural hair. She knew that in order to catch my hair and not cause breakage it would be best to braid while damp.
I had her braid going all the way straight back. I had to sew the ends together.
It was a BITCH trying to find good pictures of braid patterns online. I came across lots of "end results" but I needed a more detailed pic of a braid pattern.
It's like that's the golden secret to crochet braids and them looking good...it's all about the braid pattern.

So I got home Thursday night around 8p. I had taken Friday off. I was going to go in and go hard.
Chile...I consider my head to be small but fuck yeah I wasn't done till 2a. And that was ONLY because I ran out of hair.
I bought 3 packs of #2 ( a dark brown) and 2 of #27 ( a light honey).
I was going to mix the two and get me some highlights. But as I was putting in the brown I was happy with it...till I ran out and couldn't finish.
Smart thinking on taking Friday off. Because besides needing to finish the top part of my head the style was HUGE.
A common thing when installing, your end result WILL leave you looking like Mufasa.
Friday morning I went to the beauty supply store got one more #2 and some thinning shears.
I had to cut out some of the braids because thinning them with the shears kind of made the hair bigger, lol.
I'm saying this right now... I don't know shit about doing hair, lol.
No matter how many YT videos I watch.
I definitely need more practice.
Even with taking out almost half of what I put in it was still too puffy and Diana Ross ish for my taste.
I saw a YT video where a woman dipped her Brazilian crochet braids in hot water to calm down the mane.
I fucking hate YT for making people think they can do shit.
I did it and end up losing some of my curl pattern :-(
But not enough that I couldn't cut away. What I couldn't cut away blends in ok...I guess. I personally think the ends look horrible but we all know how critical I am of myself.
When installing I split some of the curls in two, causing frizz. But if I didn't do that I would end up with pieces that weren't staying knotted.
Most of the pieces look like they will come undone :-/. All I do is pull on them and they knot right back.
I think because my hair is so fine and still short the knots have nothing to hold on to. As I was pushing the the crochet hook through the braids would loosen.
All and all I'm happy with the outcome
and proud of myself for doing it.
I don't know how long I will keep this set in.
I do know I want them again and I will probably shell out the cash to have a professional do it.
*sigh*
This growing my hair out business is for the birds, lol
Have you ever had crochet braids? What were your experiences?
Unto next time
Xo

Short 2 long...and back

I've colored, relaxed, shaved, and braided my hair...I wanted to experience a weave and get a true feel of whether or not I can handle long hair, or want to for that matter. I thought it about for a good 4 months before I took the plunge and made the appointment.

On May 10th I went to get my first weave with Fashion @ NYC Weave Studio. I did enough research that I knew what to expect in terms of caring for the hair, and washing and moisturizing. I spent months drooling over pictures on Instagram. I purchased the hair from NYC Weave Studio...

Two bundles of deep wavy hair, 16" and 18" and a closure with a side part.

Totally SEXY.

Totally HOT.

Yet right off the bat I wasn't thrilled with the closure and the color of the hair on the closure. The lace cap wasn't bleached so the hair knots were visible, making it look like there were black dots. No fault of the Fashion. The color of the was a mix of off black with reddish brown on top, right at the crown.

The closure wasn't made custom- my fault.

Annnnnd that unnerved me.

I can be a perfectionist about the most absurd things.

I could have done things to make it look more realistic but I wasn't comfortable doing that.

The 16" and 18" length

was nice but screamed fake IMHO. Of course any hair past my ear is going to feel fake to me. I wasn't really thinking about that, lol.

I felt that shorter the hair would have more body, give it the illusion of semi real hair.

So my sister suggested I go to her stylist and have it cut and layered.

The cut it's self I LOVED. I felt more comfortable...but fuck damn the closure piece annoyed me. Every time I looked at myself in the mirror I focused on the closure piece.

I felt that's what people were staring at when they looked at me.

Totally paranoid...I know...but it's my head my mind and I wasn't getting around it.

Besides the closure piece I could not get the hair to hold a freaking curl. I didn't like the hair when it lost it's curl and had little body.

Now in all fairness the past 3 weeks in NYC/NJ has been filled with crappy rainy, windy weather.

I didn't want to admit that I was unhappy. But at the amount I paid I should freaking LOVE IT. No one would understand that while I liked the hair...I wasn't completely in love.

Comfort is a BIG deal with me and without having a therapy session within a blog post I simply wasn't comfortable with it.

Taking the weave out was impulsive to the point that I didn't know I was going to wash my hair, spend an hour drying my cornrows and then look in the mirror and want the damn thing out.

Good grief I did NOT expect that to happen. Yet once I got started the level of comfort I had been missing quickly returned.

Oh how I missed seeing my scalp and my curls, lol.

I don't regret getting the weave...not at all. I wasn't going to know whether I loved it or hated it until I did it. I *might* get another one ONE day, but I would definitely get kinky textured hair since I plan on keeping my hair natural. Other than the closure I liked the hair...but I didn't love it. It was too silky for my taste...Growing up all I wanted was smooth, silky my hair and FINALLY I had some silky hair and I hated it.

I did love and kinda of miss the styling options.

As my hair grows I am still obsessed with finding that "perfect" protective style. I'm aiming for at chin length as my first ultimate hair growth goal.

Another year of on and off protective styles and I will get there (fingers crossed).

Right now I have my hair pulled back in a tight teeny weeny ponytail (first ponytail in 15 years) and some kanekalon wrapped around as a bun. Depending on the weather I might keep this for the week...or not...After having a shaved head for 14 years I think I am allowed to switch things up whenever I want...

*Shoutout to Fashion, at NYC Weave Studio...regardless of my final thoughts this woman did a great job (out in two hours) and I highly recommend her if you are looking to get a weave and live in the NYC/NJ area*

Wanna know what I do next?

Stay tuned to find out ;-)

Until Next Time,

xo

 

My side chick...

My side chick can be a bitch sometimes.

She can be unruly, tight, hard to work with...a hot mess if she isn't given attention.

She can also be soft, playful, rewarding...a trooper...My side chick will have my back no matter what I put her through.

That surprises me. Especially since before the middle of 2013 we hadn't been spending much time together...for a looooooog time.

The one day I woke up, looked at myself in the mirror and said...

I miss her

Technically I am premature in talking about this...it hasn't been a full year yet...but it will be in June...

It has been a year that I have been with my side chick.

YIKES!!!!!

 

In May my side chick is going away for a bit.  But she will still be around. She's kinda going be replaced by my fling chick.

You know, the kind you see a few times a year. You got mad love for her...but by 1, 2, maybe 3 months you're done and want something new.

You miss that side chick cause you know one day she will replace the former main chick.

You gonna wake up one day and BAM...she will literally be all over the place...taking up space in your bed, in your bathroom, demanding WAY more time than she did when she was a side chick.

For a hot minute you might even think about going back to NO chicks...It's crossed my mind.

But I made a commitment to my side chick when I left my main chick.

I was going to do right by her, treat her right...and she was going to do me right.

She...MY HAIR...wasn't going to allow me any regret on this hair growth journey that I am on.

We are on the slow and steady road with much progress.

*Below are pics of me with my



"main chick"- my shaved head. Been with her for 13 years. Saying goodbye wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.

"side chick"- my hair slowly growing out. I like this one...I better because I know she is going to be around for a long time (my goal is chin length)

"fling chick"- the braids (protective styles) that I had for a month or two. She holds my attention for a while but I always miss my side chick.

This last pic is from last week

 



This is how my hair will remain till I get my new fling chick.

In order to maintain healthy hair not just growing hair I think of the process as a relationship.

I have to give my hair attention and patience. Listen to its needs while being mindful of my own.  Styling is time consuming and the results are worth it.

Think I'm crazy?

Embarking on your own hair care journey and let me know how you feel about "the other chick" spouting from your head.

~Until next time~

xo

Less is more

Another hair post...I was asked to do this one and even if I wasn't it is still a post I want to do.

It wasn't my intention to go natural. I fell into it by deciding to
grow my hair out. For the better part of 13 years I used Dax hair
grease on my shaved head.



As long as my scalp wasn't dry I was good.
But as my hair grew my needs grew. One month into it I was on the hunt.
I knew nothing about hair so I went to Google and YouTube to find info.
Once I decided to let my hair grow I put in a relaxer thinking that would make my hair easier to maintain...but with an inch or so of growth maintenance wasn't pretty. This is when I "decided" to go natural.

My current routine is very simple. I use three to four products every time on my 4c hair.

I wash my hair daily, or at least 5 times out of the 7 days of the week. If I don't wash I spray with with water or drown it in water while in the shower.

I have used moisturizing conditioners to co-wash but none left me feeling wowed. I have found cleansing conditioner work better with my hair.

My first staple was L'Oreal EverCreme Cleansing Conditioner



I LOVE this stuff. It leaves my hair buttery soft. Can't talk on manageability because...when I was using it I didn't have much.

Note past tense because I can't find it :( Every single drugstore I go to I come up short.  I refuse to order online. My product junkie tendencies dictate that I have easy access to my addictions.

My 2nd favorite is another L'Oreal cleansing conditioner. This one



is designed for curls whereas the EverCreme is all about the moisture.  I like how the EverCurl leaves my hair clean but not dry.

Both conditioners I would call thick, the EverCreme has more slip. Both have the same light powdery perfume scent. I can't tell if the scent last because

(a) I'm putting other scented products in my hair after.

(b) I can't smell my hair....

Sadly the EverCurl has not been seen on shelves during my last two shopping trips :-(

Once out of the shower I pat my hair dry a few times then I apply my moisturizer. S-Curl makes my hair soft, bottom line. It does nothing to play up my curls. In fact I "think" because of the glycerine my curls are a big flop if I use this alone.



I am in the market for a new moisturizer. Always on the hunt.

Depending on what styling product I am using that day determines how much I let my hair air dry.

If I am using my Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie



I will use it on slightly wet, damp hair. Gather up product and run my fingers through my hair. This product makes my curls POP. It was the first product I bought for my curls and frankly had I not seen such amazing results I doubt I would have continued letting my hair grow.

If I am using my Eco Styler with Olive Oil



I have to have wet to soaking wet hair. Again I get POPPING curls with this. But when I first tried I didn't know that my hair needed to be soaking wet. My curls weren't popping and I almost wrote it off until I used my sister's



This gel is the bees knees but it is also expensive :-( Curl Enhancing Smoothie isn't  cheap when compared to Eco Styler, but it has better ingredients. Something I am learning to be more aware of as my hair grows.

Product is in, I let it set for a few while I go get ready for my day. As my hair dries I spritz with a mixture of water, castor oil, jojoba oil, and coconut oil.  To me the oils help soften my hair and make it less crunchy.

If I remember I put some Jamaican Black Castor oil on my edges. Relaxers and poor braiding left front edges invisible. The Jamaican Black Castor oil has helped bring them back to life.



I've read people using regular castor oil and having good results also.

To finish I might use a "finishing spray" to make my hair shine.  Some days I feel I need it, some I don't.

Once a week I wash my hair with a clarifying shampoo. My fave is



I do this once I week because I put a lot of stuff in my hair. The product builds up fast. In the last month I have been adding a deep conditioner to the mix. I haven't found one that I love. So I will have to get back to you on that.

I don't have a dryer (most deep conditioners recommend that you use while sitting under a dryer) so I use my shower cap. It is made from heavier plastic (think shower curtain) and leave on my head for 30 minutes...next time I want to leave on for an hour.

When I come home I don't comb out my curls. I put on my satin bonnet or tie with a satin scarf. Any combing that is done is usually done in the shower under water.



The collage is post two months but I look the same...just more.  Shrinkage is a major problem for me. When I get length I will play with techniques on stretching.

Below is me when I used a comb. I wanted to see if I had enough hair to get braids for the winter.



(I want major props for posting that photo, lol)

I'm hoping to have my protective style (i.e. braids) soon. I will do another post then on how I care for my hair and scalp.

If you are starting out on your own hair journey remember that less is more. You can always add more product(s) but you can't take away once you have applied.

What products do you use in your haircare routine?

Of course natural isn't easy

Despite what some might think I have been "natural" for 13 years...maybe with a hiccup here and there...but they don't count because when I did relax my hair when it got too annoying for me to handle I shaved that shit off.

In 2000...May 27, 2000 I had my hair relaxed in a cute Hallie Berry pixie cut. The upkeep of that cut was too much for my post-grieving mind (Mom passed away a week before) to handle. I went to my boyfriend, his clippers in hand and said:

"Shave it!"

13 years later I became bored with the look and the snide remarks of "You would look so pretty with longer hair" or "Are you gay? Your hair is so short."

1) I personally never thought I looked that great with longer hair.

2) What world is this where only women with short hair are gay?

I attempted to grow my hair out twice and couldn't deal with the work involved.

Remember I had years in between my tries of a carefree hair "do". No worries of the rain and humidity. I wasn't accustomed to "hat hair". I could wake up late, throw on an outfit and be out the door.

I have 4c hair.

Naysayers of hair typing...please go suck on a pipe because if there aren't different types of hair then no one would be a product junkie. Products would work for all and everyone's hair would look the same!

Type 4c hair is composed of curl patterns that will almost never clump without doing a specific hair style. It can range from fine/thin/super soft to wiry/coarse with lots of densely packed strands. 4c hair has been described as a more "challenging" version of 4b hair. Some say 4c looks identical to 4b except that the curls are so tightly kinked, there is seemingly no definition. 4c hair can shrink more than 75%.

You can go to NaturallyCurly to learn more about hair types. My mom had 3c hair; my sister has 4a, in my opinion.

My hair has always been a challenge- for my mom and myself. Growing up I often heard "I wanted boys because I don't know how to style hair." said mom, who herself kept her hair very very short.

I had choices of either a relaxer or braids. There wasn't going to be much variety of styles if I didn't choose one. And this was the early 90's...being "natural" wasn't something you would see a lot of.

I have spent Saturday afternoons in a hot salon, under a hot dryer for a style that would last a hot minute if I wasn't careful.

I have withstood the smell of the creamy crack.

I have sat patiently, digging my nails into my skin while the creamy crack burned my scalp because I "needed a few more minutes to get my hair straight".

I have woken up at 5am to get down to 125th Street before 7a, synthetic hair in hand looking for an African woman to braid my hair for 12-15 hours while other women sat around me in a large room, filled with chatter, doing the same thing...praying your braider wasn't fond of taking breaks.

Compared to being natural all that was EASY.  I wasn't doing anything. My biggest worry was the cost and time factor.

Now I think about the time factor, cost, and end results. I'm in control of it all.

It's a new pill to swallow.

I am 5 months into my new "growth" /natural hair. I think I have maybe 2 inches of hair. I wake up earlier than I should (Mon-Fri) so I can co-wash my hair, coat it with moisturizers(a mix of store bought products and coconut oil) then I run through my curls some curl enhancing products. I dress slowly so my hair has time to dry, perform magic -forming a tight cap of curls. I spritz my hair with a mixture of water, castor oil and jojoba oil liking the shine and softness the mixture creates.

I marvel throughout the day at my curls...never believing as a child, teen, young adult that this would be possible of my hair.

But the next day I wake up, pull off my sleeping bonnet and start the process all over again. Mentally counting down till I can do something else beside a "wash'n'go".

I'm in the TWA (tiny ween afro) stage. My hair for the sake of healthy growth will be in this stage till Spring. I pray. After that I can go around saying

"I have an afro of curls"

Then I will be able to experiment with twist and bantu knots. Maybe a flat iron once in a while.

I have tried enough products that I am going to give my wallet a rest and stick with what has been working.

In the beginning...whoa...honey chile...I  reached for every product that sounded like "as long as applied wet" I would have curls like



I have been lucky and have found a great group of products that I can interchange and still get results kinda like above. It was a slllllooooowwwww learning process.

I have learned that I am lucky that years of being "natural" HAS made my hair healthy. My hair is strong and hasn't shown signs of needing more moisture or more protein. There is a good balance that I am trying to hold on to.

Since I literally mess with my hair everyday I can't really see if there has been substantial new growth.  My sister saw me over the weekend and she said "It is growing in nicely." I have notice some slight shedding and I wouldn't even call it that when I comb out my hair or I'm in the shower. As your hair grows it is normal to shed.

Yet I can't complain about growth. I started with a shaved head...fuzz on my scalp.

2" within 5 months is pretty darn good.



Ok so I started out with a bit more than "fuzz". The pic on the right doesn't do new growth justice...as stated above at least 75% of my hair will shrink as it dries. No I am not brave enough to post a pic with my hair sans curling products...lol

My new looked has me going way back into my "roots" and I am wearing my glasses again...preferring them to my contacts.

In my mind I need something to balance the new feature of hair in the overall scope of my face.

People think I'm crazy for saying that.

People also thought I was crazy for shaving my hair off every month for 13 years.

Without that crazy act I would never have understood the meaning of "confidence".

Walking around with no hair, being bold enough to walk around with no hair.

That was easy.

Coming to terms with actually liking myself with hair and the process of doing my hair isn't easy.

Being patient as growth takes it's sweet as time isn't easy.

Not being able to say that I wear my hair short as a way to honor my mom isn't easy.

But believing she is looking down at me, smiling at my curls...that is easy.