Apple Cider Vinegar what is all the hub bub?

Hello to all of my lovely naturals,

I hope that everyone is getting ready to enjoy their New Years celebration because I know I am! You will hear a lot of naturals talk about ACV (apple cider vinegar) When we choose to co-wash our hair there will eventually be build up and it is suggested that an ACV rinse will get rid of any build up. ACV is also know to help with frizzes and make your hair shiny. I don't know about you all but when I first started out natural I had like 3 things in my regimen and now I am up to about 7 UGH but hey when you know better you do better. Anyhoo I have used ACV before and I just didn't see the results that the others are talking about. I mean I did not hate it some people say that afterwards their hair feels stripped but I am pretty sure that they are not diluting it. When you co-wash your hair with non-organic conditioners then you are placing silicone's in your hair which leads to build up (unless you have a silicone free conditioner) Check out my post on silicone's for more info. Since I co-wash my hair I know exactly the feeling when you have too much product on your hair and when that time comes I wash my hair with my homemade shampoo (check that post out its delightful and easy/cheap to make) and that usually does the trick. Now if you notice product buildup then you really need to rinse/wash the product out of your hair. So after I co-washed my hair I used 1/2 cup in about 3 cups of warm water and poured that over my hair and let it dry. No your hair does not smell like vinegar once it dries you can not smell it. At the time I did not have product build up but like I stated before I really did not notice any difference. I suggest that if you have product build up skip the co-wash and just rinse it with water and then apply the rinse. Give it a try and tell me if you noticed any difference....Oh and Happy New Years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Always,

Verano

Is Getting a Relaxer a Lifestyle or a Hairstyle

Hello to all of my lovely naturals,

Well in my many years of being natural and not being natural this is a debate that I often find myself into and I have come to notice that people get angry over this issue. I know that I am guilty of praising natural women and barely noticing non naturals...but that doesn't mean that I don't compliment a fly hairstyle its just that I get super excited about a dope natural doo. In most African-American households little girls get there hair relaxed as young as 6 because their Mothers complain that their hair is not "manageable", actually I know of a girl that had a relaxer put in at 2 and she has a permanent bald spot. Before we start shaking our heads at these practices we need to understand where the Mothers are coming from. Think about it if your hair was deemed "unmanageable" at the tender age of 6 or, for argument sake before you were 10. This means that you never learned to "manage" you hair so to your Mother who has had her hair relaxed all of her life you hair is "unmanageable". I say this to show that our hair in our natural state is "unmanageable" when using tools for people with no curls or when compared to bone straight hair. You will often hear natural women say that they never knew beauty until they were able to see their natural hair. If you have never even had the opportunity to see or touch your natural hair and then you go natural it is an eye opening experience. If all that you know is your relaxed hair then I would consider your relaxer being a lifestyle choice for you, I know calling a relaxer a lifestyle sounds silly but I consider being natural a lifestyle for most. I can remember times when I would opt out of going out because I needed a "relaxer" or when I was a young natural and I insisted on putting my hair in 2 strand twists because I could not imagine going outside with my hair unkept. Those actions are taught not by my parents (whom did not let me relax my hair until I was 14) but by society. If we teach our children at a young age that their hair is beautiful,curly,thick and so on and so forth then we will not have teenagers and adults running to the salon in order to avoid that dreaded kitchen showing its face. By teaching our children that our hair is beautiful then we will change the negative connotations behind getting your hair relaxed. I have been natural, gone to a relaxer, and gone back natural and have no shame...because getting a relaxer is not a lifestyle for me it is just a hairstyle. I have seen my hair "managed" it and decided that right now I want a change like I am sure that many of you have done. If you have not witnessed your natural hair with you own two eyes or touched it...I suggest that you try it you might like it and if not then change it up but at least try it. Oh P.S. my number one irritation is if your hair is falling out or not growing stop relaxing it and watch it grow like wildfire



Always,


Verano

Hair Serum Recipe

Hello to all of my lovely naturals,

I remember using serum when I had a relaxer and all that I can remember is that it was super expensive and it smoothed my already straight hair. It was like $10.00 for that little bitty bottle. Now that my hair is natural and I am always looking for something to better define my curls by smoothing out the frizzes it is worth taking another look into. I am not all that familiar with the ingredients in hair serum but I am pretty sure that they contain chemicals and since I am not that into chemicals I decided to make my own. I have not tried it yet because I have to first henna my hair, but I will be trying it on this new hairstyle that I plan on posting on youtube. So I will let you all know the results in a couple of days.

Hair Serum Recipe Smoothes, Softens Coarse hair

Ingredients:
3 ounce Coconut Oil
1 ounce Castor Oil
5-10 drops fragrance or essential oils (optional)

Directions:
Mix oils in a 4 ounce bottle then store in a cool dark place.

Soooo try it you might like it and let me know

 

Always,

 

Verano

Coconut and Honey Hot Oil Treatment

Hey all my lovely naturals,

I am back....boy oh boy the holidays are always so chaotic so I had to take a week long break...but I am back and better that ever ; ) So with the break I had a chance to sit back and think about how the weather was affecting my hair and what was working and what was not working. One of the things that I realized is that it is so hard for me to keep my hair moisturized so I will be looking into different methods to keep it moist. Oh and I really enjoy having my hair in protective styles. Now between Christmas eve and Christmas I went to 4 parties...exhausting but def fun. Needless to say my hair smelt like smoke (which I was excited about) forcing me to wash it..I like trying out new things when it comes to my hair so the smoke forced me to try this new hot oil treatment. Some of you might remember that about a week ago I started giving myself hot oil treatments again. I like hot oil treatments because I don't wash/rinse the oil out I keep it in my hair and then style...this works perfectly for the winter time and especially when you are going straight into a protective style. Last time I used extra virgin olive oil, castor oil, and coconut oil, but I thought this recipe was worth a try. The only thing is that I am nervous about coconut oil freezing in my hair (which it will do) but other than that I liked the results and will use it in the future. I am not sure if it will replace my evoo because I am obsessed with it but its a nice change. Here is the recipe

4 tbls Coconut oil

2 tbls Natural honey

Directions:

Place coconut oil and honey in a small plastic bag and place the bag in a hot cup of water for 1 minute to warm. Apply to hair, wrap hair in a towel for 20 minutes. Wash then dry hair

Remember that I do not wash the oil out of my hair...my hair loves it so try it both ways and see what works for you.

try it out and let me know if you like or if you have any hot oil treatment recipes that work for you

Always,

Verano

Organic Conditioner Review

Hello to all of my lovely naturals,

In my never ending search for natural products I decided to try some homemade conditioner. I am not really sure how I felt about it I tried a conditioner that added texture to your hair, but it didn't really appear like it had more texture and it didn't really feel moisturized. Let me show you the recipe before I continue:

1/4 ounce organic plain yogurt
1 egg yolk
1 smashed avocado


Okay so I mixed this up and placed this on my hair for 40 min and rinsed it out. I mean it was not bad but I didn't feel like it made my hair feel extra moisturized nor did it help to define my curls. Oh boy and the biggest factor in me not liking this homemade conditioner was that the egg white partially cooked in my hair, leaving behind little bits of egg. So I walk out of the bathroom and my husband was like..."wait what's that in your hair, I mean its all over your hair" he was referring to the little strings that the avocado had left behind in my hair. Needless to say I will not be trying this one again...but I do have this recipe for mayo conditioner. Don't get me wrong I love my Shea Moisture Organic Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque, but I also love to try new things. This however was a FAIL but hey on to the next..Do you all have any homemade conditioner stories that were positive or negative? Please share.

Always,

Verano  

Stylin n Profilin: Individual Braids Placed in an Up Do

Hello to all of my lovely naturals,

First I would like to do a quick update on my lip gloss...okay its just alright so back to the drawing board. Now last week when I did my hot oil treatment I placed my hair into individual braids instead of my usual two part twists. Once I got tired of the braids I took two braids and with some whipped shea butter I placed them into twists and twisted those into bantu knots. I let the knots stay in for a couple of days and then I unraveled those and placed my curly braids into a nice up do...check out the pics below and then check out my video on youtubehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=desKjK62v7s  let me know what you think.

Always,

Verano

Homemade: Super De Duper Easy Cranberry Lip Balm

Hello to all of my lovely naturals,

So for those of you who know me, you all know that I am a pretty natural person. I am addicted to a couple of products that aren't natural and it drives me crazy so I have made a list and I want to find natural solutions for these addictions. Now I have been addicted to lip gloss since I can remember. I love it, if anyone in my immediate circle has some awesome lip gloss they know to keep it away from me because I will steal it. With that being said it bothers me that I am putting all of these chemicals on and in my mouth. So I have found a recipe for natural lip gloss right now I am letting it sit but it looks and tastes pretty awesome. I wanted to share this with you because doing things naturally is not hard yes it takes more effort then going to pick it up from the store in some situations, but knowing what you are putting in and on your body is totally worth it. This took me all of 7 min to make and I already had all of the ingredients except for vitamin e oil, I exchanged that for castor oil.
Below you will find the recipe check it out, try it, and let me know. I got this recipe from mybeautyrecipes.com awesome site! and I will fill you all in on the results later on in the week.

P.S fresh cranberries cost about $2 they are on sale now because of the holidays and whatever you don't use you can place in the bottom of a glass vase/container with water and place on display for the holidays! 

Ingredients

• 10 fresh cranberries
• 1 tbsp sweet almond oil
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 drop of Vitamin E oil remember I used castor oil

Directions
Mix all the ingredients together in a microwave-safe bowl (bowl may also be heated in a pan of water on the
stovetop).
Stir well and gently crush the berries. Cool mixture for five minutes and then strain through a fine sieve to remove all the fruit pieces. Stir again and set aside to cool completely.
When cool, transfer into a small portable plastic container or tin.


Always,

Verano

Don't Forget the Hot Oil!

Hello to all of my lovely naturals,

So I must admit that I have been forgetting to do my hot oil treatments, well today I set aside the time to make sure that I did mine. Well if you all know me at all then you know that I did some research. Now I have been giving myself hot oil treatments for years now, but I have been doing it my own way. What I mean by that is that I don't wash the oil out I give myself the hot oil treatment after my wash and conditioning. This has always worked for me but I wanted to know if there were others out there that felt the same way. Some people suggested to just rinse the oil out and all the others suggested to wash it...keep in mind that the people that say wash it out are relaxed or have very straight hair. Since oil weights straight/fine hair down then maybe they don't want any excess oil, but I love oil and so does my hair. To continue on with my research I asked a couple of natural ladies and relaxed ladies the  one natural lady said that she was not really sure why we are washing out this oil. Another relaxed lady said "hey do what works for you". So that is what I will continue to do because washing out the oil is just crazy talk to me. Oh and my friend who is also natural was like "Well Verano, you know you are addicted to oil" Haha and she is totally right! Now that I was sure that I was doing what was right for my hair, I decided to experiment with what type of oils I wanted to use in my hot oil treatment. Check out the recipe below.

2 parts Olive Oil
1 part Castor Oil
1 part Coconut Oil

Warm this up in a pot..I don't like using the microwave because the heat is not evenly distributed. Oh and watch the oil because it will burn and keep in mind that you need to make sure that you have enough oil to cover your whole head..BTW this was too much oil for my hair but that is okay you can reuse.


So I parted my hair into four sections and within each section I parted into four sections. I took these sections and combed them and then massaged the oil into my scalp on down to the tips of my hair. After I completed each section I twisted into 2 twists. Let this sit for 15 min if you are going to rinse/wash out if not style as usual. I really liked the way that this made my scalp and hair feel. The only thing that I am skeptical about is that I have been hearing a lot of freezing coconut oil horror stories. If you don't have these oils (shame on you! ; *) then just use olive oil. Don't forget that during the winter dry months that we need to fully moisturize our hair. Oh and lucky for you naturals I am pretty sure that I need to clip my ends so I will post a demonstration vid on that in a little bit. Do you have any recipes for hot oil or do you like to leave the oil in also? Drop a comment and let me know!


Always,


Verano

Stylin n Profilin: Braid Out Up-Do for the Holidays

Hello to all of my lovely naturals,

I know that everyone wants to look their best on the holidays, so this is one of the hairstyles that I plan on rocking this holiday season. To attain this hairstyle I co-washed my hair and braided it in plaits and applied my whipped shea butter. The next day I took the plaits down and swooped the bangs then pinned the rest into a fro hawk. After that I secured the bottom of the hawk with bobby pins and let the rest hang out in a fluffy poof. I love it and I hope you will too check out the pics below.

Curl Defining Frizzies Free Gel

Hello to all of my lovely naturals,

Hey so in my never ending quest to stop using chemicals on my hair I have run into an awesome natural gel!!! and I love it. This weekend I put my hair in an afro puff and wanted to slick the sides down so I used this...it worked perfectly on my hair, I wish that I had thought to take some pics but I was was too busy to be thinking about that. So check out the recipe try it and tell me what you think.


Boil and strain flax seeds – they produce their own sticky gel. Add some coconut oil for shine, and you’ve got a curl definer with hold, so none of the crunchiness.




Thanks,


Verano

Henna Update

Hello to all of my lovely naturals,

Hi ladies well I have been applying henna to my hair for about three weeks now...yes I am doing it once a week. I am pretty sure that I am going to change to every two weeks not for any reason in particular but just because it is time consuming. So I really love the results not only is my hair shiner but it is smoother,softer and stronger. I have not had much color change but it looks as though it is turning a light brown, which I am thankful for because I did not want to go red. When I first blogged about my henna experience I was using the henna/cassia mix that is made by light mountain (whole foods) and my major concern was the loss of curl pattern that I have heard people complain about. Once I washed my hair I noticed that my curl pattern was the same but maybe just a little looser but the good thing about cassia is that it is not permanent, it lasts up to two weeks in your hair. After a couple of washes I was back to normal. Because I knew that I wanted to do a full henna application I was afraid that after repeat applications I would not like the results. So whats a natural girl to do?! Well I searched the henna blogs and forums and women were talking about mixing their henna with alma to retain your curl pattern. That is just what I did I mixed half henna with half alma and my hair is back to normal but it is a little wavier which I like. I think everyone should at the least do a cassia treatment once a month because it is like a deep conditioner for you hair and trust me you will love the results. Check out the pics below of my braid out and tell me what you think.


Always,

Verano

Tips on How to Retain Your Hair and Even Help it to Grow

Hello to all of my lovely naturals,

Hi guys!!! I apologize about not blogging yesterday it totally slipped my mind I had an event to attend...So I have a lot of friends who are concerned about loosing their hair or making it grow in certain spots. If you can remember a couple of posts back I touched on making your hair grow by applying aloe vera juice/gel to it. Well after some research I found a couple of oils and herbs that will promote hair growth. The amazing thing about these oils and herbs is that you probably already have them around the house or in you hair product arsenal and you can apply them topically.

Basil: Promotes hair growth

Grapefruit Oil: Promotes hair growth

Peppermint Oil: Promotes hair growth

Cypress: Promotes hair growth

Sage: Promotes hair growth

Saw Palmetto: Promotes hair growth


Keep in mind that these herbs and oils have other delightful benefits but I just wanted to point out that they promote hair growth.You can get these oils at any health food store,use them and let me know if they work for you!


Always,

Veranos

Stylin n Profilin: TWA + New Oil!!!!!

Hello hello to all of my lovely naturals,

So I must admit that I have been a little bit bias, I have forgotten about our natural men and our sista's who have just transitioned. For those of you who are currently rockin' your twa (teeny weeny afro) I wanna so go head wit you bad self. I loved when my hair was super short it was so cute and so sassy. On the other hand I feel your pain cuz eventually you get tired of the wash and go but don't fret it will all be over with in a matter of months. For the ladies that have a twa don't forget to use head bands,flowers,clips, oh and hair combs. You can also pin your hair into a fro hawk. I know that I have been preaching about protective styles, no wash n go, and moisturize but for you all with twa's a wash n go is really all you have. So here are a couple of tips: First remember that you don't have to do a wash and go all the time, after you wash you hair you can apply a leave in conditioner, then on the days that you hair is looking a little thirsty you can add water to rejuvenate. Second water is your friend sometimes whipped shea butter and castor oil are too heavy for your twa, I use to use distilled water mixed with aloe vera juice.Third invest in a light oil moisturizer ie coconut oil, sweet almond oil,jojoba oil, tea tree oil....and mix this with a heavier oil ie castor oil or olive oil...when mixing these oils remember to use more light oil than heavier oil. Keep in mind that this length is only temporary and cherish it cuz the more you hair grows the more time consuming it can be. Okay so on to the hairstyle my friend Xety came over and he is growing his hair out. Now I would be lying if I didn't say that it was a hot mess but fortunately for him I did not take any before pics. His hair was just dry you know to the point where it even looks dry and once this happens you curls just look pitiful. Make sure that you are moisturizing every day and it is super easy when you have a twa. Anyway lucky for him I was just concocting an elixir and had some left over. I was playing around with the whipped coconut oil recipe that I posted last week instead of using aloe vera juice I used castor oil and loved the results. First I sprayed his hair with distilled water and then worked in the elixir. So without further adue here is the recipe and the pics. Check it out and tell me what you think.

Always,

Verano




Whipped Coconut Oil Remix

1/2 cup of Coconut Oil
1 tablespoon of Castor Oil

Then Whip It!!

Glycerin and Aloe Vera Juice/Gel

Hello to all of my lovely naturals,

Today I want to go over some of my favorite products!!! I use these is almost all of my home brewed elixirs. They not only moisturize but they also bring a shine to my hair. Now you will hear  a lot of people say that you should not use glycerin in the winter time, I say figure it out for yourself use what works on your hair no matter the season! So below you will find the definitions for these products and I hope that this helps you to make educated decisions when it comes to putting products in your hair.

Aloe Vera Juice/Gel: Helps with dry,damaged and frizzy hair. Acts as a natural conditioner and moisturizer. Also has the ability to grow hair in some people the gel/juice will activate an enzyme therefore promoting hair growth.


Glycerin:is a clear, sticky liquid that is naturally produced during the soap making process. As a humectant, it attracts moisture, so is nice to use in products designed to provide additional hydration to the skin or hair. Since glycerin attracts moisture from the environment it will attract moisture from the air and toward the hair. The effectiveness of glycerin in a dry climate is questionable since a dry environment contains no moisture to be pulled toward the skin.

Always,

Verano

Stylin n Profilin: Protective Braids

Hello to all of my lovely naturals!

I hope that you all had a blast for the holiday, cuz I know I did : ) So for most of us it is getting colder outside meaning that the days of the wash and go are over. In order to maintain proper moisture we will need to protect our hair, we can do that by properly moisturizing and wearing it in styles that are no fuss and do not unnecessarily cause our hair to be exposed to the elements. This does not mean that you can not wear the occasional blow out, braid out, afro puff and so on and so forth. This means that you should keep your hair in a protective style for 80 percent of the week at least in order to insure that your beautiful locs will still be able to thrive. Okay so on to my hairstyle...in order to achieve this hairstyle I first sprayed my hair with some water then moisturized it with natures blessing and detangled. Then I begun my braids but I started from the bottom going up, once I was done I pin curled (my fav) the tips and tied it up. In the morning I got up and took down the middle braid by a couple of inches and poofed it up into a mini bouffant. This style can be worn for a week and a half then for the rest of the week you can wear a braid out. Oh and remember that just because you have your hair in braids does not mean that you can relax on moisturizing your hair. Check it out and tell me what you think.

Always,

Verano

My Miracle Elixir: Whipped Coconut Oil

Hello to all of my lovely naturals!

Alright I am not sure which site I got this from but it is the bomb! After I hennaed my hair (well talk about that later) I put it into twists and sealed it with my whipped coconut oil. I loved it because it is not as heavy as my whipped shea butter so I can use this whenever I need something more than my spritzer but less than my whipped shea butter and it adds just the right amount of sheen. Try it!


1/2 cup of virgin coconut oil
1 tablespoon of aloe vera juice/gel

and whip it!

Stylin n Profilin: Fat Twist Out w/ Twist Headband

Hello to all my lovely naturals!!!!

Okay so I apologize about not posting yesterday but I was filming my video for youtube which I posted this afternoon so check me out at MzGrimmage!!! and tell me what you think. I know that I have been posting Sun-Thurs but now that I have my youtube up and working (well it needs a little bit more work) I will have to balance or better yet juggle the two, that being said there might be some changes coming; I will let you all know when I figure it out myself. Now that's out of the way I want to show you all this easy hair do that I did for my friend and fellow blogger Metaphor. I co-washed the hair with Trader Joes Nourish Spa Conditioner and deep conditioned it with Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque. Then I hit it with my whipped shea butter and I applied my natural spritzer on it, detangled, and twisted it into about 7/8 fat twists which then were pin curled. Once everything dried (she slept on it) I put some castor oil on my fingers and un raveled the twists, poofed the hair. I sectioned off the top and twisted from one ear to the next then secured the end of the twist with a bobby pin that I hid behind her ear. In order to maintain this hair style all you need to do is twist the back part of your hair every other day (or everyday its up to you) and un ravel in the morning. Check it out drop a line and tell me what you think.

Stylin n Profilin: How to revamp that braid/twist out!

Hello to all of my lovely naturals,


Since it is winter time and I know that all of you lovely natural divas are in straight protect mode, we could all use a couple of pointers on how to make our styles last just a bit longer. After a couple of days of wearing my twist out the shaft of my hair no longer has any type of curl so what is a girl to do?!

let me know if you all have any questions or any hairstyles that you use to revamp your hair please let me know!


Always,

Verano

To Henna or Not To Henna That is The Question Part 2

Hello to all of my lovely naturals!!!!!!!!!!

And the results are in....drum roll please.......I like it! It has made my hair shiny, softer, more susceptible to moisture, and stronger. Today when I took my braids out I did not have one single hair shed! yall heard me not a one. So I would say that overall this was an awesome experience. Ummm but I am not sure about the curl lost that verdict is still out and I won't be able to clear that up until I wash my hair. I will say this after I co-washed my hair for the umpteenth time I did notice that my curls were looser but that could have been from all of the conditioning of my hair.So this weekend I am going to get some henna Jamila BAQ (Body Art Quality) you want to use BAQ because it is stronger than the stuff that is labeled specifically for hair and mix it with alma powder to retain the curl (for just in case purposes) All in all a cassia/henna mix is a great conditioner and I foresee henna and I having a great love affair. Now if you all love to henna your hair or have had a horrible experience please drop a comment. Oh and if there are any questions don't hesitate.

Always,

Verano


Cassia/Henna mix





The box that it came in

So fresh and so clean

Cassia/Henna in my hair

 

Cassia/Henna all washed out



  

 

 







Oils and Their Properties

Hello to all my lovely naturals,

I was suppose to blog about my results with my cassia/henna mix but I am not sure what they are yet. Last night I washed the cassia/henna mix out and to get the remainder of the grit out I used my trader joe's conditioner like 4 times,then deep conditioned. After that I put my whipped shea butter on my hair and put 6 braids in it, then sealed the braids with coconut oil covered it with my satin scarf and off to bed I went. So once I got up I took the braids down, made 8 sections put my natural spritzer and some more shea butter and braided my hair. After braiding it I pin curled each braid and put my satin scarf back on...so needless to say I can not give a review until tomorrow! So lets continue with our lesson on oils and their properties



Sweet Almond Oil: Easily penetrates your hair,does not clog pores, nourishes and smooths your hair cuticles,is a rich source of vitamin E, and is perfect for dry hair.

Tea Tree Oil: Is an healing antiseptic, cures itchy scalp therefore curing dandruff, unblocks clogged hair follicles, and adds moisture




If you have any questions or if you would like to know more about the benefits of oils please let me know.



Always,

Verano

To Henna or Not That Is The Question Part 1

Hello to all my lovely naturals,


Okay so this weekend I decided to look further into the whole henna phenomenon. So after much research I decided to try it. Before I embark on my journey let me give you all a little info on henna. Henna which is called red henna or by its scientific name Lawsonia Inermis is a plant, the leaves of the plant have a red-orange hue. Real henna only comes in one color which is green. The leaves are ground and that is your henna. Henna does not color your hair it only leaves a tint on your hair. Henna is kind of like a protein treatment in the way that it gives your hair strength by coating it. It deposits into the porous parts of your hair and makes the strands smooth that is why is has a de-frizzing effect. Henna does not color your hair it only highlights it but the color can not be seen unless you are in the light (most of the time) if your hair is light then of course you will see the color but if it is black it might take a couple of treatments (henna has a build up factor). Some people notice that it causes them to lose their curls but you can just add some alma powder to the mix to combat that. Henna also loosens your curls,adds shine,and will make your hair thicker. All in all henna is a awesome conditioning agent! Please beware of products claiming to color your hair using all natural henna, remember that henna can only highlight your hair and only in one tone red. Using other products that have unrealistic claims of what henna can do is not only dangerous but the products are full of chemicals. Sooooo now that you all have the DL of henna lets go over my journey. I decided that I really wanted to give henna a try but I was not comfortable with the red undertones this is where cassia comes in. Cassia Auriculata is a plant and has about the same conditioning agents as henna sans the color oh and it lasts only for about 2 weeks. It is a great start for beginner henna users. So now I bought my mix from Whole Foods it had Cassia and Henna in it, oh cassia is also known as neutral henna. I am scared that I might loose my curl pattern but maybe just maybe it will slightly loosen them so that I have less shrinkage. I mixed my cassia/henna mix yesterday.

4oz of cassia/henna
3 green tea bags
3 tablespoons of honey
12oz of distilled water

VERY IMPORTANT DO NOT USE ANY METAL IN THE PREPARATION OF YOUR HENNA IT WILL CHANGE THE COLOR



boil your water then let your tea seep for 3-5 min then mix your henna with the tea water should be the consistency of cake batter. You will need to let your henna dye release so cover your mixture and place on your counter top for anywhere from 1-3 hours. Once that is done wash your hair (I did not condition) part your hair into 4 sections and apply. After that wrap it up with a plastic cap I used two and cover with a satin scarf. Chill out for about 4 hours then fill your tube/or sink and swish your hair around in it. Once you have loosened the clumps jump in the shower and use your conditioner to get whatever is left out of your hair this might take 3 or 4 times. Now that you have gotten all of the product out then deep condition. Deep conditioning is a must most people that have tried henna and don't like it will complain that it made their hair dry so please please please deep condition! So as I type this out I am sitting here with my cassia/henna mix on my head. I will post pictures and give you all the results tomorrow on my next post...Wish me luck!!!



Always,

Verano

Clipping Your Own Split Ends

Hello to all my lovely naturals!

Just because you hair is natural does not mean you don't need to clip/trim your split ends. By clipping your ends you will ensure that you will have a healthy head of hair. Now that you are natural you are using less chemicals and heat on your hair so you might not need your ends clipped every 3 months, I like to let my hair tell me if I need my ends clipped. So there are two ways that I use to tell if my ends are damaged. First I take one of my twist outs and feel it from the shaft all the way to the end, if the end feels rough then I know that I need to clip my ends. The second way is that I pay attention to the strands that shed. If I notice that 5 strands have split ends then I know it is time. You are probably thinking why don't I just go to a beautician,well there are not many beauticians that know how to do their own hair they have been taught to only do chemically relaxed African-American hair and besides no one knows my hair as well as myself. In order to clip my ends I first wash my hair and condition it then I take a piece of my hair (enough to make small twists) two part twist it and focus on the very end of my twist. Any part that looks scraggley or where the hair thins out I cut. Once I am done I put coconut oil in my hand and un-twist my hair and wear it like that for the day. Oh yeah don't forget to use only hair sheers! Good luck naturals and remember you are the best beautician that you know!



Always,

Verano

Natural Spritzer

Hello to all of my lovely naturals!

I was looking in my natural hair archives and thinking about the products that I love to use and I remembered that I use this spritzer whenever in doubt and in place of water to properly moisturize my hair. Please remember that when I post these natural products you can replace any oil with an oil that works best for your hair. These recipes are only an outline figure out what works for you and go for it!

8 oz spray bottle
3 oz aloe vera juice
1 oz trader joes conditioner (not necessary just about any light conditioner will do)
1/2 oz of olive oil


When I wear my wash and go I put this in my hair or when I am twisting my hair or when I need to re vamp my twist out. Let me know if you have any go to home made products and let us know if this product works for you


Thanks,

Verano

Transitioning

Hello to all of my lovely naturals

Today I want to go over transitioning,this is a subject that all budding naturals are concerned with. So transitioning is when you decide to go natural but you are not quite ready for the bc (big chop) and want to ease into going all the way natural. When I decided to go natural I transitioned with micros at first because my hair was still chemically processed it was not that damaging. Next I went into kinky twists these are easier on your hair and allow for new growth to show without it looking tacky. Then I did the big chop now that was the first time! I really don't suggest that you transition while using braids, I say this because braids well extensions can be hard or damaging to the hair. When you transition you hair is very weak at the point when the natural hair meets the chemically processed hair and when you remove the extensions you can cause a lot of damage. Second I don't know about you all but I really don't like other people in my hair especially the sisters that braid your hair in the braiding shop, and I am willing to say at least 90% of them don't have licenses to do hair. If you decide to style your hair yourself you can better keep track of your ends which will need extra care because remember where the chemically treated hair meets the natural hair is extremely weak. Because of this fact you will need to clip your ends often. Research shows that hair grows 1/2 inch a month I would suggest cutting your ends while transitioning 1/2 inch a month. I know it sounds drastic but remember the idea is not to keep the length it is keep the healthy hair. Please remember to keep your hair in protective styles at all times your hair is very very fragile. When I speak of protective styles for 100% naturals this also includes any style that you don't have to touch for a day or two, but for those transitioning you should only keep your hair in twists or braids (your hair) not touching it for a week and moisturizing it often. Try not to comb your hair if you need to detangle only use your hands it is easier to maneuver through your coils with your fingers. Also don't get overwhelmed by the amount of hair that breaks off it is natural. Once you get at a comfortable point with the length of your hair you should immediately do the bc not only will it help your hair by cutting off all of the unhealthy hair but you will feel so liberated and wonder why you waited so long. Don't forget to deep condition,have a hot oil treatment, and lay off the harsh chemicals ie sulfates,silicone's, and alcohol. Oh and you are doing this for yourself to get to know yourself to see what beautiful locks you have been blessed with!

Honey Rinse Review

Hello to all of my lovely followers

So last week I gave myself my first blow out....ummm I guess I liked it I mean it looked nice. I loved the fact that I could give myself a cool afro puff but I love my curls way too much right now to blow dry my hair. I say this because when I went to wash my hair this week I noticed that my coils were not bouncing back in the front area and I am pretty sure it was because of the heat that I put on my hair. So I decided to try this rinse that I had read about just to give my hair a little extra added moisture. After I washed and conditioned my hair I mixed 1 TSP of honey with 4 cups of warm water stirred and poured over my hair. Well not only is my front doing better but my hair has a nice sheen to it and when I feel it I have this nice little moisture on my fingers (not exactly sure how to describe it) but its not sticky it is just moisturized. Of course I like to take a couple of days to see if the product fully agrees with my hair but for now it was a really nice addition to my hair care product family! Please try this rinse everyone could use a little extra moisture and let me know if you have a positive or negative experience.






Always,




Verano

Oils and Their Properties

Hello to all of my lovely naturals,

I know you hear a lot of use this oil or gurl I use this oil but do we really know what these oils do for our hair? Or if this oil will benefit your hair or benefit your body all we hear is this oil is good for your hair. So I have done some research and have compiled a list of different oils that we use for our hair and bodies with their properties.

Jojoba oil- Similar to sebum, which is secreted by human sebaceous glands to lubricate and protect skin and hair. Jojoba oil conditions hair and prevents it from becoming brittle and dull.

Coconut oil- Is one of the best natural nutrition for hair. It helps in healthy growth of hair providing them a shiny complexion. Coconut oil prevents dandruff, lice, and lice eggs, even if your scalp is dry. It is an excellent conditioner,helps in the re-growth of damaged hair, and provides the essential proteins required for nourishing damaged hair.

Honey- Is high in vitamins and minerals, and has wonderful benefits for the skin and hair. Honey is a good humectant and emollient, serving as a good moisturizer and conditioner


I don't want to bombard you all with to many facts at one so this will be a series that I will continue throughout my blog. If you have a request for info on on of your fav oils please let me know.



Always,

Verano

My Miracle Elixir:Whipped Shea Butter

Hello to all of my lovely naturals,

As women we are bombarded with so many products that I think we tend to get overwhelmed. Well I know that I do, there are so many different products and oils out there and I want to try them all just to satisfy my never ending quest to find my "miracle elixir".Since we are always on the grind to find newer and better working products we either forget the ones that work for us or we never give them a proper chance cuz its on to the next.With that being said In the winter time I think that we need to go back to the basics. We need to use the products that give us the proper moisture and there is little room for error. That is why I am going to give you all my recipe for whipped shea butter it is my miracle elixir (it took my husband to remind me of this little fact) not only does it make my hair shine but it makes it soft and keeps it moisturized. I am not sure if I included this in my regimen but after I wash my hair and condition it I put my whipped shea butter on my hair immediately. So here it is


2 TBSP Shea Butter
1 TBSP Coconut Oil
1 TSP Olive Oil
1 TSP Castor Oil
1 TBSP Glycerin
1/4 TSP Honey (remember as a preservative)

Add shea butter,coconut oil, olive oil,castor oil,glycerin, and honey
mix in a food processor for about 5 min then freeze for about 10 min then mix again and ENJOY!!!!!!!

Once you use this let me know how it works for you


Always,


Verano

All Natural Sugar Scrub

Hello to all my lovely naturals,

I know that I have been on a hair kick so I want to balance things out with some other natural products that I thoroughly enjoy. Making your own sugar scrub is amazing and everyone will love it, and I figured with the holidays so close you can give your little home made goodies out for gifts!

1. You will need to acquire some glass jars make sure they are clean and free from tomato sauce ; )

2. Decide on what type of scrub you are making you can use:
    Coffee-Caffine will tighten the skin
    Salt-Kosher or sea salt
    Sugar-Cane sugar or brown sugar (for the face)

3. What oil you would like to use:
    Coconut Oil (my fav)
    Olive Oil
    Sweet Orange Oil

4. You will need a preservative to make sure that the scrub does not go bad
     ie tea tree oil or another of my favorites a drop of honey

5. Add whatever extras you would like be it essential oil, vanilla extract,or maybe even some pumpkin spice...get creative have fun!


Okay so now that you have the basics you are ready to make your scrub remember to only use 2 part exfoliate to 1 part oil. If you decide to use essential oil I think 15-20 drops should do. When I made these for Fathers Day I made a coffee scrub with coconut oil and vanilla extract. It was a big hit and my husband used it like everyday. I also made a brown sugar scrub for my face with coconut oil, a drop of honey, and vanilla. I just recently made a sugar scrub with orange zest,lemon zest, and a drop of tea tree oil. So there you have it making sugar scrub have never been so easy. Just remember that you will need to use tea tree oil or honey as a preservative because if not it will go rancid. I love sugar scrub but I love it even more now that I know the ingredients are all natural.



Always,



Verano

Girl has my hair sweated out?

Hello lovely naturals,


I hear alot of my girlfriends talk about their hair sweating out. Well the great thing about being natural is that humidity can help your hair and hair style! Remember that humidity or sweating is just moisture and moisture is what we all want for our hair. So before I work out I put my hair in chunky twists with my special leave in-conditioner mixture which is half of my Trader Joe's light conditioner, half aloe vera juice, and some olive oil (I love this mixture) and pin curl them place a head scarf over my head and have at it. After I shower I take down the twists and rock my chunky twist afro add some hair pins if you would like. With this hair style you don't have to worry about sweating out your hair while you work out the moisture will help volumize your hair for this cool hair style. Another issue that we have is while in the club you get to dancing and work up a sweat (not too much cuz that would be gross :P ) and now you have to go to the bathroom and double check that you have out of control hair. So this hair style will have to be planned a couple of days before. I twist my hair in medium/small twists and rock that for a week. Now the night before I party I take my twists, moisturize them with coconut oil, and roll them up with rollers. You can rock this curly twists for the day (super cute) the day of the party I un-twist my hair and rock my twist out. Remember that since you had medium/small twists in your hair your twists will be well defined. When you work up a sweat your twists will naturally loosen up but still keep their form. Remember naturals moisture is our friend! Please comment and let me know if you have any hair styles that work well with humidity


Always,



Verano

Hair Type Hair Type What's My Hair Type?

Hello to all of my lovely naturals (yes I decided to change my greeting)

How many of you are fixated on your hair type? How many of you just want a label for your hair? I personally believe that hair type is not important but I do understand where you all are coming from. So I have decided to dedicate this post to hair types. Please keep in mind that we are mixed with a variety of ethnicity's and our hair types can not (in most cases) be assigned to one type, more than likely you will have a mixture of hair types. Not to mention that years of chemically straightening you hair could have changed your hair's curl pattern. What I am trying to get at is that lets not get to fixated on our hair types because it can easily be turned into a good hair vs. bad hair (although neither exsists) type of thing. I can fully understand wanting to know your type for the purpose of identifying products that work best for your hair, but don't limit yourself because something is not for your hair type try all products and hairstyles. You might be pleasently surprised and find yourself rocking a new doo that a type 3a introduced you to! Okay with that said and done I have done a lot of research on finding what hair types exsists and what my hair type is. There is a ton of different information out there some is extensive and some is general. As of now there are two ways to catagorize your hair the numbering system and the LOIS system, the number system focuses on coil pattern and the LOIS system focuses on hair shape. I choose to go with the numbering system which goes from 1-4 with A,B,or C after the numbers. The lettering is to determine the thinckness of the hair strand. Now on to hair types.....oh my hair type is 3c.


Hair Type 1-Straight no curl pattern
Hair Type 2-S shaped waves no curl pattern
Hair Type 3-Has a S curl pattern to it might turn straight when wet but will go back to its S curl pattern once dry does not hold a sheen and is soft to the touch
Hair Type 4-Has a L shape,Z shape, or coils that form O shapes. When wet it will appear the same as being dry. This hair type will not hold a sheen might appear wiry and is fragile.


And there you have it the hair types lets not get hung up on these lets focus on our natural hair. Please let me know how you feel about labeling our hair as "types"




Always,


Verano

Product Review Part 2

Hello to all my lovely followers!

Here is my review on Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque. I hope that you find it informative. Let me know if you have used this product and if it worked for your hair. Don't forget to comment!


Always,


Verano

Product Review Part 1

Hello my lovely followers and Happy Halloween!

Now that we go that out of the way,I went shopping for hair products this weekend! So I came back with Shea Moisture Organic Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque w/ Sea Kelp,Argan Oil & Shea Butter. Like I mentioned previously I read on the Thank God I'm Natural blog that this was an awesome brand. Not to mention that my friend has some of their products and they work fabulously on her hair and her daughters. If that was not enough
the ingredients are all things that I can pronounce,identify and are natural. So I am going to do my regimen and tomorrow give the results for the product.Hey if any of you all know of any great products or have used this product before please don't hesitate to leave your comment.



Always,


Verano

My winter regimen

Hello to all my lovely followers

So today I want to let you all know what I do to to keep my hair looking and feeling its best. I wash my hair once every week and a half to every two weeks. I use to only co-wash my hair (natural term for only using conditioner to cleanse your hair) but since I started making my own shampoo that has changed (check out the post on my home made lavender shampoo) I am in between conditioners right now, after educating myself on what silicone's do for your hair I started making my own deep conditioner. Ummm lets just say that I have not mastered that yet :/ So I am going to target this weekend to buy shea moisture organic deep conditioner and I will let you know how it works. Right now I am using Trader Joe's conditioner which is organic and works perfectly for my hair. I do a hot oil treatment once a month with olive oil. Oh and when I deep condition my hair I like to add a little coconut oil in the conditioner or whenever I feel that my hair is getting a little dry I will rub coconut oil on it (especially my twists that are some days old) right before I hop in the shower. Once I get out of the shower I part my hair into four parts then comb each section with my wide tooth comb, this is the only time that I comb my hair. Once that is all done I style and repeat every two weeks, please feel free to post what works for your hair during the winter months.





Always,


Verano

Silicones,Sulfates and Oils what is a natural girl to do? part 2

Hello to all of my lovely followers,

Alright and I am back! So lets dive into oils!!!!!!!!!! Now I am pretty sure that you all have heard very negative comments about Petroleum. In order to describe what petroleum does to your hair I will compare it to something..Okay so in the winter time once I get out of the shower I apply Vaseline to my skin (petroleum) in order to keep all the moisture in my skin and provide a barrier from the harsh weather. Well this is the same thing that petroleum is doing to your hair and yes it sounds good but petroleum based products clog your pores and hair follicles. Once you put a petroleum based product on your hair it acts as a barrier to anything else that you might put on your hair. You definitely do not want a barrier blocking all your efforts to properly moisturize your hair, keep in mind that petroleum does not moisturize the hair it just coats it and retains what moisture that you already have. On to mineral oil,which plays a trick on you and your hair. Once applied your hair appears to be shiny and well moisturized but give it a day or a couple of hours (depending on your hair type) and your hair will appear very dry but to the touch will have plenty of oil on it. Mineral oil just like petroleum it coats your hair not allowing any moisture to get in, but I think that it is more of a threat because you will think that your hair is moisturized and therefore not properly manage your hair causing it to become brittle and break off. There are people who think that using water based products are the best option because water has the most moisture,but in my experience water based products do not work on my hair. Not only do they not give me a sheen but my hair drinks up the product in one day. My rule is ALWAYS check the labels if a product has petroleum in it or mineral oil in it I don't use it. Now with that said don't go and throw out all of your products this is your hair and your experiences see what works for you. I know how hard it is to find something that works but you have been warned. Using products with these ingredients are harmful to the growth and health of your hair. I do not use any products in my hair with these ingredients because they cause my hair to look grey. Having natural hair is a journey you get to learn and love your hair as you should have done when you were a child. Everything is trial and error and as long as there are no texture changing chemicals involved I say try everything. Personally my hair has done the best with natural products and things that I make. Oh and one more thing when you are reading the labels the first ingredient has the highest concentration in that product.Please comment on your experiences positive and negative with these ingredients and don't forget to follow!



Always,


Verano

Home made lavender shampoo review after a day

Hello to all my lovely followers

I just had to blog about the results of my home made lavender shampoo. So as I was getting ready to twist my hair (protective hair styles for the winter time is a must!) I noticed that my curl pattern that usually frizzes away to nothing once the water had dried from my hair was still there, and my hair felt smooth,silky,moisturized and healthy. It really is a must try naturals! and it is something that I will use forever!


Always,


Verano

Silicones,Sulfates and Oils what is a natural girl to do? part 1

Hello to all my lovely followers!

Today lets tackle the natural enemies of our curly hair. I am just joking of course! I will give you some information on these chemicals and my opinion and hopefully help you to come to an informative decision on the subject. Okay so I am pretty sure that you are hearing a lot of negative talk about silicone's and sulfates but sometimes its hard to get to the bottom of these opinions. Lets start at the top with sulfates. Sulfates can be found in shampoos they are a harsh cleaning agent that strips the hair of everything. Now if you are putting heavy products on your hair or using a conditioner with silicone's you will need to use a shampoo with sulfates in them because that is the only chemical that can get rid of silicone's. Sulfates cause the hair to be dry and brittle and will remove all oils from your hair natural and other wise. Now I don't suggest using products with sulfates because they strip your hair and I for one work too hard to keep my hair properly moisturized to have it stripped in one washing. Okay so now on to silicone's there are two types water soluble and non water soluble. For right now lets focus on non-water soluble. Silicone's can be found in conditioners and they coat the hair and like I stated before the only thing that can remove them are sulfates. In my personal opinion I don't want anything coating my hair because then it will not be able to absorb any of the oils that I put in my hair. At first silicone's make your hair look smooth and shiny but this is only temporary many people say that after awhile their hair looks dull. If you think back I am pretty sure that you can recall hearing some hair professional say that after awhile you need to change your shampoo and conditioner. This is because after time the silicone's will cause your hair to look dull and lifeless this happens because of product build up to be more specific silicone build up. Now some people use conditioners with silicone's and they don't have any problem. Non water soluble silicone's usually end in ane,cane,one,and cone. There are a lot of you who only co-wash (natural term for only washing with conditioner) if this is the case for you I don't recommend using a conditioner with silicone's. Water soluble silicone's have a PEG in front of them and they are safe to use in the co-washing process. I suggest before throwing away any of your products keep what works for you and your hair. Now that was a lot! I was going to cover oils but I think I will make that my next post because I have a lot of information on that as well. Please follow and comment and let me know what your take is on the whole silicone and sulfate debate.



Always,


Verano

Home made lavender shampoo

Hello my lovely followers

Okay so I am so excited that I just had to do a quick blog. I made some lavender shampoo a couple of days ago and used it today. You talking about something that was awesome when it first went on my head I could tell that it was going to fully moisturize and clean my hair. I got out of the shower and my hair was bouncy and clean without being stripped. I don't use shampoo I co-wash my hair (co-wash or no poo is a term used when naturals only use conditioners to wash their hair) but I wanted to give shampoo a try and ran across this recipe, it was such a pleasant surprise and not to mention totally relaxing because of the lavender. Unfortunately I did not jot down the website that I received this recipe from but a major shout out to whomever came up with this little piece of heaven for my hair! Try it out and see if you like it as always what works for me might not work for you but my motto is as long as it is a natural product there is nothing that could happen, other than I hate it or love it. The recipe is below please let me know if this works for you


Always,

Verano

Natural Shampoo Base

This is the base I use for making essential oil and spice shampoos. It makes 1/2 cup of concentrated shampoo.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup castile soap

1/2 teaspoon of (extra virgin) olive oil

Method:

Mix together all ingredients and place into shampoo bottle.

Lavender Shampoo

Lavender is an time honored aromatherapy treasure. It soothes an irritated scalp and stimulates the hair follicles. Lavender also aids in relaxation and feelings of well-being.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup fresh lavender

2 tablespoons of glycerin

1/2 cup Natural Shampoo Base

Essential Oils:

5 drops of lavender essential oil

Method:

Mix water and lavender together into a heavy bottom pot and bring to a boil.

Let boil gently for at least twenty minutes.

Let cool slightly and add basic shampoo mixture and glycerin slowly to herbal mixture.

Mix well.

Pour shampoo into container and let stand for a few days to allow the mixture to thicken.

Use as you would your regular shampoo.

 

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Winter Seasons...Is Your Hair Fully Moisturized

Hello my lovely followers,


Okay so you were whipping your hair in the summer stunting on folks but now it seems like all your moisture is gone and you can't seem to get it back. Don't fear lovely naturals you can retain the same amount of moisture in the winter months with the right knowledge. First I will give you some information as to why your hair care routine isn't working anymore; in the summer months there is moisture in the air therefore making it easy to retain the moisture in your hair. You will hear a lot of naturals saying that they use glycerin to secure their moisture. Glycerin is a by product of the soap making process it is a humectant and at high concentrations it will attract and hold water from the environment therefore causing your hair to glisten. Since the winter months are cold and dry (in most areas) your hair is most likely loosing all of its shine. In the winter time you hair feels kind of schizophrenic with the constant change in temperature, from the warmth of your car to the harsh cold outside, to the warmth of your office. The best solution is to wear what we like to call protective hair styles. These hair styles include but are not limited to braids,twists,weaves,wigs....whatever floats your boat. In the winter time I like to wear twists and head coverings (fashionable ones of course) oh and remember if you are going to wear a winter hat please wear a scarf over your hair until you reach your destination. Okay so we still need to cover your hair care routine....This is when you hit your hair with your heavy hitters it is all about protecting your tresses. I leave the glycerin on the shelf and exchange it for cold pressed and cold processed castor oil (will blog about the benefits of cold pressed and processed oils later) not only as a hot oil treatment but as a moisturizer..maybe castor oil does not work well for you the object is to use a heavy oil that will coat your hair against the elements. Also invest in a good deep conditioner, a deep conditioner should have to be kept in your hair for at least 15 min. You should also use shea butter (a natural hair conditioner and moisturizer) and last but not least please remember to wrap your hair before bed time. So to sum it all up 1.Don't forget to moisturize your hair with something that will coat the hair shaft and follicles therefore retaining your moisture 2. Give yourself a hot oil treatment at least once a month 3. I suggest only deep conditioning your hair during these times 4. And finding a good moisturizer for your hair ie shea butter or natures blessing (my favorites)
Most importantly remember that getting to know and love your hair is a work in progress what works for me might not work for you so with that in mind try it all until you find what works for your hair. Good luck and remember moisture is a curly girls best friend!



Always,

Verano

My natural journey

Hello to all my lovely followers!

So since this is my first post I just want to let you know the history of my natural hair journey. I did not get my first relaxer until I was about 13 (and it was against my Mothers will) So as I went thru high school I knew that I did not want my hair relaxed so I started getting micros to go thru the transformation process. In college I changed over to kinky twists and I did this for about 2 years. After the two years I took the kinky twists out and just rocked my natural hair this lasted for 3 beautiful years! Until I had a mental breakdown (not literally) but that is was I like to call the stint I did when I dyed my hair honey blonde and relaxed it (I am ashamed!) But seriously it was crazy I got a super bad chemical burn and had to cut all my hair. So still not getting the clue I continued to get my hair processed. All along I really missed my beautiful tresses so after a year of this and my hair hanging down to my neck I went into the transitioning phase. I wore bantu knots and twists with up do's for 1 year and then I did the BC (natural term for the big chop) I cut my hair (yes I did it myself!) down to about 3 inches it was WONDERFULLY LIBERATING!!! and here I am almost a year after that living and loving me naturally! The best decision that I have ever made was to let go of all that dead hair and let my beautiful locks shine through! And now you know how my natural journey began. If you are thinking about beginning yours don't hesitate you will feel better instantly and if you are already natural please share your natural hair journey experiences negative and positive.

Always,

Verano