Q and A: Tenderheaded Girl Probs

Question:

What can I use in my hair to style it better?? Im so tenderheaded and it always feels like im using the whole bottle/jar of detangling creams that I have and my scalp is sore sometimes after styling my hair. I wash every two weeks. I co wash every other day. I deep condition every week and moisturize daily. The products I'm currently using are Shea Moisture Raw, Shea Butter conditioner and shampoo, As I Am Co Wash, Shea Moisture Smoothie, Curling Soufle and Deep Treatment Masque and Anti Breakage Mask and olive oil.


Answer:

This is a great question! I think a lot of women are tenderheaded and it can sometimes be a deterrent when considering going natural and it shouldn't be!  Styling your hair starts with your hair care routine. As with anything, too much of a good thing is a bad thing. Over washing will strip your hair of its natural oils and ultimately make it harder to moisturize and detangle.  I recommend simplifying your regimen.  Less is more!  Try co-washing then deep conditioning just once, one week.  Also, detangle as you do your protective style.  This will make it easier to detangle and you will use less product. Start from the ends of the hair and work your way to the root.  Apply your oil then style that section.  Mist your hair with water and moisturizer at night and in the morning should keep you from wanting to wash those soft, lustrous coils! The only styling product I use is Shea Moisture Smoothie and Eco Styler Argon Oil Gel and let me tell you, just a swatch of each per section is more than enough! Seal that with your oil of choice and you got it made!!! Hope this helps!

Stay Beautiful

-NB 

Moisturizing 101

The most common question I get asked is how I keep my hair moisturized throughout the day and to be honest, its pretty easy.  The key to moisturizing your hair is....WATER! That's right, good ole H2O! Drinking plenty of water is the first step, but incorporating water in your regimen is just as important. Water is best source of moisture (that should be no surprise) so there is no need to be afraid of it!! Embrace the spray bottle!! So, here's my method for retaining moisture:

• Nightly rituals!! Come up with a nightly regimen that includes lightly misting your hair, sealing and topping with a satin bonnet. My nightly regimen consists of:
• Lightly misting my hair with plain water
• Adding a very small amount (dime size) of leave in to the hair
• Sealing with my oil of choice (if I seal at night, I use an oil with a thinner consistency, usually, coconut oil)
• Wrap hair with satin scarf or bonnet (the way you wrap depends on the style you're wearing)

• Morning regimen:
• Just add water to "wake up" products to hair (no need to apply product if you just added it the night before)
• Apply whatever styling product is needed
• Seal with oil (I use my favorite, One N' Only Argon Oil) 

And viola! You've got soft luscious coils that will last all day with no fuss!  Very easy!

Stay Beautiful!

-NB

Loc Em Up!

Question:

Do you have any suggestions on loc maintenace?
How often should they be twisted?
What products should be avoided?
And any other information that could help me to maintain and strengthen my hair.

Thanks in advance!

Sooooo obviously I don't have locs so I had to outsource! My reference has had beeeautiful locs for 10+ years so she is very reputable.  She had a lot great tips for you ladies with locs. Here they are:

Only twist once a month.  Over twisting will cause the locs to pop. Applying tension to the hair is never the greatest thing in the world, so overdoing can be detrimental to the hair. Besides, I'm not sure if baby hair with locs is such a good look!

When twisting, ALWAYS palm roll to the right, no matter what side of the head you are on. Palm rolling the whole loc to make it all uniformed (this will eventually make your locs smaller)

Leave clips in for at least 30 minutes

Products to Use:

The product list was surprisingly very broad. Using products specifically for locs is  not a necessity.

Regular shampoos/conditioners are fine, Pantene Pro V Relaxed & Natural works well and you don't have to break the bank just to purchase it.

Satin Bonnets and/or Pillow cases are your best friend. (Cotton will pull your strands, absorb the moisture in your hair, and causes frizz)

Jamaican Mango & Lime Products (the oil is awesome and smells goooood)

Any product of your liking with Tea Tree Oil

Eco Styler Gel (with Olive Oil) for twisting

Thin oils such as olive oils are good for applying to the locs themselves

No-no Products:

Bees wax (attracts lint)

Special Instructions:

For ladies that suffer from dry scalp one remedy is peppermint oil shampoo & raw shea butter applied directly on the scalp after conditioning

Hair too soft to loc quick as other hair types?  Try a squeeze of honey in your twisting product! (not only will it help to loc the hair, but it makes the re-twist last longer)

Hope this helps loc'd ladies!

Stay Beautiful!

- NB

Naturally Fronting

Okay, let's be honest. Most women did not want to BC. Most women want long hair so the thought of chopping it all off is neither sexy or endearing, but its the road most of us travel to get to our natural hair goal. We may not all find BC-ing cute or attractive, but if you are going to BC please do yourself a favor and OWN IT!! I'm seeing a lot of women wanting to go natural because it is a "trend" and they aren't really down to embrace the sometime uncomfortable, but necessary evil that is suuuper short to maybe even medium length hair. Instead of embracing being natural and stepping out of the comfort zone we've been put in by society SOME women turn to weaves and braids. Personally, I LOVE a well done sew in or some Senegalese twists, but I am perplexed by women who get these protective styles to hide their hair until their hair gets a certain length. Why?? Embrace it!! Go buy some make-up, some new accessories, and own your hair! Don't let your hair own you. Hair does not make us beautiful, whats inside makes us beautiful and our hair is merely a reflection of our personality. So have fun with this drastic change! My last post I talked about color and coincidentally when you BC that really is the best time to color your hair! Its short, very little maintenance is required, and if you dye it platinum blonde and it falls out in a month you would have gained a learning experience aaand would not have suffered much of a loss since your hair is already short! I know at times it is easier said than done, but find strength and courage in your insecurities and not only will a new, more confident you emerge, but it will give you the confidence to face the ups and downs that comes with going or being a natural woman. Until next time....

Stay Beautiful!

-Natrocentric Beauty

Color Me Bad!

You may have noticed my hair is purple (obviously lol). I am a natural woman who loves playing with color and have always been fearless when it comes to coloring my hair. I guess this is mostly because I've always said it's just hair and if it falls out it can grow back, but its also because I'm confident in my relationship with my hair and my ability to take care of it.  I do not, I repeat, DO NOT, recommend hair color for women who are new to taking care of their own hair.  Master the art of caring for your hair, gain confidence in that ability, THEN venture to color. Even at that point I would still recommend letting a professional do the actual color and you just handle the upkeep, but if you must do it yourself start small.  Try a small section of your hair preferably in the back just in case it is not a success. Baby steps ladies!  Of course follow directions exactly and no short cuts!  Before coloring your hair get your color treated hair regimen together so that you aren't scrambling to find something that works during a crisis. A routine that is specifically built around color treated hair will ensure that you are proactively taking care of your hair instead of reacting to a disaster. Also, remember to MOISTURIZE, MOISTURIZE, MOISTURIZE!!! Below is a list of things you will need in your regimen after you color:

An awesome deep conditioner (I recommend DC-ing twice a week after coloring)
Sulfate free shampoo or moisturizing conditioner if you are a Co Washer
Daily Creme Moisturizer (use nightly)
Rinse out and Leave in Conditioners (specific for color treated hair)
Cold Pressed Castor Oil, Argon Oil, or any other thicker variety of oil (in my experience oils such as coconut oil or olive oil doesn't seal in the moisture as much as i needed)
Spray bottle (for water and/or leave in mixes)
Perosity Control 
Neutrolizing Shampoo

I admit, most of these products may be staples in your current regimen and if not, should be, even if you don't have colored treated hair however, the frequency in which you use these products should most definitely increase.  You can't slack in hair care when you color.  The Brillo pad look is not the business!! Happy coloring!

Product Review: As I Am Coconut Co Wash

I'd heard some mixed reviews on this product line so I was very curious to try something from them. I am a co-washer and normally use the cheap stuff so when I saw this product I got excited. It was on sale at Sally's so decided to pick it up and I must say I am glad I did! For roughly $6 this stuff is worth it!! 

Pros: 
It had a very pleasant smell (as most coconut products do) 
Only takes one application to clean hair thoroughly (my hair actually squeaked)
I was able to finger detangle my hair with ease 
It made my wash and go a breeze! 
My hair was soft and moisturized afterwards

Cons:
If you are a heavy handed product user this type of product will create a mess in your hair.  (I recommend using warmer water to rinse as much product out as possible or a clarifying shampoo instead)
It comes in a jar and the consistency is very thin so it is not the most convenient product to use while showering
Although it moisturized my hair the second ingredient is alcohol….what an oxymoron! (not to mention on the site alcohol is listed further down *side eye*)

All in all I was happy with this product.  It did exactly what it was supposed to and made the rest of my regimen so easy.  I'm not sure how a main ingredient in a conditioner is alcohol, but it works. My hair loves it and it has become a staple product and will remain that until my hair decides to divorce it.

Disclaimer

I want to say this before I give my experiences with my hair, product reviews, and provide any advise. I am not a licensed cosmetologist.  I do not have all the answers, but I will help if I can. I can only give my honest opinion and personal experiences. Everyone may not agree with everything I post and that is okay, but these are methods and products that work for MY hair.  Our hair is just as individualized as our personalities. What works for me may not work for you so if it doesn't please don't get upset. Everything in life is trial and error. Hair is no different. So if something I recommend doesn't work let me know! I'm confident I can help find an alternative.  With that being said, let the fun begin!!! I want to create an open forum for my new naturals, old seasoned naturals, transitioning, and even relaxed ladies so feel free to comment! Email your questions and suggestions on what you would like to see to naturocentricbeauty@gmail.com

Stay Beautiful!

- Natrocentric Beauty

My Natural Hair Journey

       This is my journey kind of summed up through a few pictures....But I want to tell you about the very first pic in this post.  I transitioned for about a year and when I started going natural I was like a fish out of water.  I always knew how to take care of my relaxed hair because my mom and grandmother were both licensed beauticians and they pretty much showed me the ropes, but when it came time to stop with the relaxers I was lost! I had no idea what to do so my transition phase is pretty much a time I'd like to forget LOL! I did a lot of twist outs and braid outs, but could not stop the breakage no matter what I did. I went to Sally's looking for SOMETHING to keep me from throwing up my hands and getting a relaxer. In hindsight I would have never gotten a relaxer, but I was so frustrated that was the direction I was heading in.  The employee that helped me was very nice and seemed more knowledgeable than most and recommended some great products.  I asked if she was a beautician and she was so in my head the choir sings, HALLELUJAH!!! I asked if she could do my hair and help me with my transition and she agreed! I was so happy! I had a new found confidence and couldn't wait! My first visit was very pleasant. She did a simple wash, blow dry, and flat iron since it had been so long and it was BEEEEAUTIFUL! Loved it! So, I continued to go to her on a bi weekly basis. She knew I was transitioning, but would always flat iron my hair. I asked about alternatives and she said there weren't any sense I had two different textures. Then one day I had an epiphany.  I can flatiron my own hair, why am I paying this lady to do it? 50 for convenience?? Negatory.  (I'm smh at myself typing this) So I go and wash my hair. My natural hair was just as straight, if not STRAIGHTER than the relaxed hair.  I assure myself I'm tripping. Maybe my hair was just "trained" to be straight (a terminology she had used). Now don't get me wrong, I have used that ideology with relaxed hair, I just didn't understand it as it pertains to natural or transitioning hair. After deep conditioning multiple times a week, a strict no heat regimen, and google research I came to the realization this lady had murdered my natural hair and ruined my year of hard work. My hair would not return to it's curly state. Beyond pissed, I took a couple months, continuing my deep conditioning and no heat regimen and BC'd on January 6, 2011 and haven't looked back! 

So what's your story? How was your transition journey? Did you BC or just gradually trim? Let me know! 

Stay Beautiful,

- Natrocentric Beauty

Welcome, Welcome, Welcome!!!!

It has been a long time coming but I am finally here!!! Hey ya'll!  First, I would like to thank you all for coming to check me out!  I hope you gals (and guys) will enjoy!

My name is Kyndra and I currently reside in Charlotte, NC.  I am a 26 year old, new mommy to twins and wife. I have been natural for two years and I am scheduled to start cosmetology school at Paul Mitchell in April. You will see mostly natural hair posts from me; from tutorials, to product reviews, Q&As, seasonal regimens, bits and pieces of my personal life and everything in between! Please feel free to send questions and comments to naturocentricbeauty@gmail.com. Please share with your friends or anyone you think can benefit from it! So no matter if you are relaxed, transitioning, just BC'd, in your ugly phase, or have been natural for years I got you covered!!!  


Stay Beautiful!

KV- Natrocentric Beauty