AfroNiquely You

Yes viewers/readers I have officially decided to start a challenge..I don’t know about you but this rut has got be gotten over. SO to do so I have initiated a challenge. I made a post of it at LHCF, but for those of you who may have not been to that site or heard of it, I will post the challenege here:

The rules are simple:

1. Deep condition at least once per week, no exceptions!
2. Say yes to protective styling (i.e. twists, cornrows (not tightly done), plaits, braids (not tightly done/micros), puffs/buns )
3. Dust the ends of your hair when it is needed and do NOT let the damage go on.
4. Always keep hair moisturized by use of whatever moisturizer you have that works for your hair
5. If you have thinning egdes..take action, start caring them and getting them back
6. Give your scalp a massage often!
7. Try to avoid the heat if you can…this is not mandatory but if possible please avoid the heat.

So please let me know what results you get from this and if you do join tell me!

AfroQueenShae

So am I the only one that has days when your hair just gets the best of you? Like you really feel the desire to chop it off or to just do away with it, hide it, like just disassociate it from yourself?

This summer..I have loved my hair, hated my hair (yes I did), and just been annoyed by hair and have been pleased by my hair. Now what I needed to get to the bottom of was why did my hair ever become annoying or despised to me. I realized soon enough that there were days my hair was totally dry and just really brittle and I hate that feeling and it didn’t help that I just couldn’t seem to find a fix.

Now how many of you out there have had these issues?

Let me know,..and tell me how did you overcome?

AfroQueenShae

Presenting: Janelle Monae!!

Janelle Monae by far is just incredible..Her music is one of a kind and her style truly reflects that. This chic has in my opinion some fly natural hair and for that she has just got to be featured.

I absolutely think her hair is just great..and see another Natural doing it big and loving it..She uses her hair as her icon..and it works wonders Gotta love natural hair.

1. Name (popular name i.e.): Ladykpnyc

2. How long have you been natural?: 2 years…It will be official June 30

3. How did your natural journey begin? I transitioned for 7 months

4. Depending on your choice above, how was the experience from then to your journey now?:
Wow! I have learned so much in the past 2 years. In the begining of my journey, I was so afraid of my hair; the mere thought of doing anything to it scared the heck out of me. I got so fed up with my self (and of wearing hats) that I decided to take action. Google was my bestfriend. Everything I know about natural hair comes from my google search and places like nappturality.com and longhaircareforum.com. After soaking in all I could, I started taking chances with styling. Now, I love my hair! My journey has now come full circle; I know how to properly care for it and I’m willing to take style risks.

5. What tips do you have for newly naturals?
Never ever comb your DRY hair, play around with different styles.
You never know what your hair can and can not do unless you are will to play around with styles and products.
Don’t let shrinkage intimidate you, instead, learn how to work with it.
Love yourself first!
Don’t let anyone make you feel bad for wanting to rock the hair God gave you!

6. What is your routine? Briefly describe and highlight any main points/practices you use to keep your hair fabulous:
I cowash as often as I like.
I Deep condition once a week, alternation between moisturizing treatments (such as coconut milk) and protein treatments
(eggs and mayo)
I do a prepoo treatment before I shampoo.
I only shampoo once a month with s Sodium Lauryl Sulfate free shampoo or baking soda and ACV (when I’m not being lazy)
I moisturize daily.
Every 2 weeks I give my hair a break by wearing a protective style for a week or two.

7. What products do you use, or what would you recommend?(list shampoos, conditioners, moisturizers and stylers please):
Shampoo: Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Shampoo
Nasabb’s Teawynn Shampoo
Conditioners: Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner

Herbal Essences’s Hello Hydration/Long Term Relationship

Neutrogena Triple Moisture Daily Deep Conditioner

Moisturizer: Qhemet Biologic’s Burdock Root Butter Cream
Shea Moisture’s Shea Butter Leave In
My mixture of Honeyquat, water, and EOs
Deep Conditioners: Komaza Intense Moisture Therapy
Elasta QP DPR 11
Eggs/mayo
Coconut milk and Molassas
Gel: Fantasia IC Aloe Vera Gel (Blue)
Kinky Curly Curling Custard

8. What advice do you have for someone who asks “what should I do if I want my hair to grow long?”
You should focus on the health of your hair, because with health, come growth. Don’t use products with mineral oil,
petroleum, sulfates, and petrolatum. Prepoo before every shampoo treatment to reduce the harsh effects of the process.
Deep condition at least twice a month to keep hair hydrated. Always remember that water is your friend, and using grease
on your scalp only clogs your pores….use oils instead. Be kind to your hair and it will reward you with great growth.

9. Name the main things that have kept you through your natural journey and have kept your hair growing strong and
long.
Longhaircareforum.com, nappturality.com, my family and friends and my knowlege of how to properly care for my hair.
Going natural is only half the battle, learning how to love you, despite the negativity, well, once you get that part down, the
journey is a piece of cake!

Yes finally, the good stuff…we talk about products and just what the majority of naturals rave about or find helpful to their journeys.

Now I am in no way saying you must use these particular products, these are only recommendations and hopefully there is something in here for everyone

Let’s get the ball rolling with Sizta2Sizta. This product line is all natural, and uses only natural ingredients. It offers a wide variety of products as well. The line was created at first for those with chemically treated hair seeking a natural product alternative, but it is just as great for natural hair. I have personally used this line and it is fabulous. It is not harsh at all and it is practically yummy (smell).

First the shampoo, now I know I conditioner wash 99% of the time but for that 1% that I choose to shampoo I use S2S Ultra Lavish No-Poo Shampoo..I must say for a shampoo which is by the way sulfate free and suds free, it is amazing..My hair is rebellious towards shampoos, every last shampoo, but with this my hair felt so silky after the shampooing which has never happened before.

The ingredients are superb..the first on the list is Deionized Water!!

Next in the line was the Conditioners..I cannot say enough about how much I love them..I used the Moisture Packed Conditioner and the Deep Penetrating Conditioner, both of which are just simply amazing..They really did moisturize and condition my hair and over time, my hair became really soft and easier to comb, detangle and style.

There is a product called the Halt Breakage Control. I wasn’t sure if this would do anything in my hair, but guess what, it did! The bottle suggest using the treatment for 30 mins, however the first time I used it I was on a time crunch and only used it for 10 mins, of-course I thought well with only 10 mins nothing can happen, but I was wrong. No exaggeration..My hair really didn’t fall out as much, and it was amazing to see less hair in my comb.

There is a oil from the line called Amazing Hair Oil with a lot of essential oils in it…it makes my hair glow when I do use it and it lasts for a very long time..

Overall I love this line, nothing bad to say about the products at all. I’ve been using it for 3 months now, on and off..I consistently use the conditioners but the others were on and off, but I love them regardless, my only down fall is that this only available online. But I still say try it out..It is very cheap for what it does!!

AfroQueenShae

I would like to extend my apologies for not having written a post in a while. But I am back and ready to get the show on the road..This for all of your who are thinking about, wanting to, or are transitioning…Whether it be from the perm, or what have you. It’s not always an easy task to choose to go natural. It’s especially not easy when you’ve acquired lenghts and have become used to it, and you want to go natural but can’t do with the length…well if that’s you, transitioning is just what you need.

There are many ways that you can go natural from the perm..Many choose the method to chop, but others find alternatives. One of them is to braid their hair and to avoid stressing it. Braids make a for a cute and quick fix. It’s benefits include having lengths while not having to stress your own hair, you can experiment with color using braids by buying hair that is of a color you like, you can allow your hair to grow out and still stay healthy.

Another way is to wear twists and plaits and cornrows. It’s always a joy to style your own hair, and if you want to transition, you can easily just twist your hair up into a nice style.

twists

cornrows

That’s a good way to transition. You have many versatile options that you could do with your hair like this.

It’s summer and quite frankly at times it is too hot to be worrying about my day let alone my hair. Now I am not the biggest fan of extensions, but there are times when I find them necessary. Right now I have my hair in braids..till the summer heat is down. I had a big debate, weave or braids?

In the long run I choose braids because I felt I could get more versatility. I am not hating on weaves, so do not email me saying why am I hating. I just have my own preference, to each their own.

This post however is about caring for your hair while you have it in extensions…and I only hope you’re using the extensions as protection and not a diversion or cover-up!

Now don’t think because your hair is in braids you don’t have to wash often, or care for your hair..that is a lie. You still need to wash your hair often and to keep your scalp fresh. If you use excess oils to keep your scalp from going dry you will need to make sure you wash your hair. And also it is best to re-do the row above your ears every two weeks. This allows build-up to stay to a minimmum.

Please it is advisible, stay away from micro braids, or tight weaves and braids..All this does is rip your hair out and break the edges. Tension is never a good thing with Afro Textured hair. It’s never a good thing with hair period, but especially afro textured hair.

Now, whatever you choose to do, please remember that it’s all about loving your hair. If you neglect you reap..Simple as that. Have fun ya’ll

~AfroQueenShae~

Now I know a lot of guys don’t usually comment on hair care or what not, but I was asked to address certain things for the guys..So Afronique Kings this is for you especialy…ladies still read it and pass the info on to guys you, it may be helpful.

Okay so a guy friend of mine had asked me about presentation and I guess what we ladies like on guys. Well I took this and asked quite a few women I know.. And this is a summary of what they said.

First and foremost a guys presentation says a lot about them. The way they carry themselves, wear their hair (groomed or the lack thereof) says a lot. A guy who is nicely trimmed/shaved and has his hair looking great is definitely given the upperhand to the guy who chooses to just wear his hair any old way (this rule also applies to the ladies!).

Now after asking, most ladies agree that they like to see a guy with low cut faded hair. Especially the ones with a nice lined up beard that accentuates their haircut.

Another popular favorite was the curly cut…Not too low, but not too long, so therefore with a little gel or wave cream the hair curls up.

Guys, if you have long hair, ladies appreciate seeing you with braids, nice neatly done braids going back (and or styled), or a nice ponytail that is again neat..I think the point to note is, ladies like neatness, the neater your hair, the more they truly love it.

Now on to something else I feel I must add..How to care for your hair as a guy. The artcles I wrote

What should I do

Washing Your Hair

and Hair Basics are recommended for you as well..After you read these make sure you apply and remember the following:

Don’t think “oh I’m a guy I don’t need to do anything with my hair”—BIG LIE!!! Now what do you think is going to happen? Your hair won’t just magically look great, you have to do something..

Another thing, please wash your hair! Now this may sound cliche, because of-course you wash your hair, but seriously, some guys don’t or some don’t do it properly..Washing your hair is not just putting shampoo/conditioner or your hair, let it sit for two mintues then rinse..It requires some stimulating massaging of the scalp to get the dirt and grime up.

Please do use a moisturizer and hair oils..DRY scalp is not cute, nor healthy! Now picture this, you want to put on ya so called swag, and the first thing she sees is your dry scalp–not great is it? I say please use a good moisturizer I recommend Shea Butter and also Virgin Coconut oil or Virgin Olive Oil to spray your scalp atleast twice per week.

There are so many others, but I believe those are the main ones. I hope this has helped. If it has not, then let me know and I will be sure to make a follow-up article.

AfroQueenShae

Happy hair growing to all

Hello again friends..This is another article in the Did you know series, and this time I have to take the time to highlight Coconut Oil..Now I’d like to say being from the Caribbean and having eaten a good deal of coconuts in my day, I can’t believe I did not know the true benefits of a coconut of-course besides it’s delicious taste and it’s great milk and products that you can make (coconut crumbs, coconut trash with sugar, drops, rice and peas with coconut milk…the list goes on and on, and yes a hair conditioner by soaking the hair in it for about 30 mins or so).

Now I was noticing how a lot of people were raving about Coconut-filled products like the Organix Nourishing Coconut Shampoo and Conditioner, or the VO5 Coconut Shampoo and Conditioner. Well I mean I knew something had to be up..so I went and did some research to see why this island fave of mine was really becoming so hot, especially in the Organic Oil version. Here is what I found:

Coconuts have been around since, well I’d say the age of time, but to specific, it’s been around since probably 15 million years ago, where it originated is debatable. Some say South Asia, some say South America, some New Zealand. Point is Thank God we have coconuts!! LOL..Anyhoo, back to the info:

These are a list of the benefits of coconuts:

1. Can lower blood cholesterol levels
2. Reduces your risk of having heart disease
3. Stimulates your metabolism for faster weight lost
4. It promotes an ideal and normal thyroid function
5. It kills bacteria and other germs that can cause diseases.
6. It is a natural antioxidant, and has Medium-Chain Fatty Acids that is the same found in breast milk that protects babies from getting sick.
7. Is heart friendly
8. It is great for diabetics,..
9. Great for stress relief
10. Skin Care: it helps with eczema, dry skin, wrinkles and sagging, and many other skin problems.
11. Digestion, pancreatis, weight loss can all be combated with coconut oil, and even much much more other things but the more important one for us:
12. Can be used for haircare..It can be used as a conditioner, or a pre-poo, or even after washing the hair as a leave in..

Now if you aren’t excited then, that’s just you, because I am..I mean edible and incredible? I’ll let you know once I get my hands on actual Virgin Coconut Oil…not the fake manufactured versions in supermarkets, because I do know when I used to eat my coconuts back home, I was healthy as ever and had energy for days..Stay tuned for the update, I’ll be getting VCO (virgin coconut oil) soon.

Peace love and happy hair growing,

~AfroQueenShae~

A lot of us probably haven’t even thought about hair types or even know what I am refering to..Well before I became natural I had no idea what it was either. I would read articles and people would say “I have 3b hair” or “what sdo you use for 4b hair?” and while reading those articles blank expressions would be on my face. I was clueless. Well I’d like to take this time to share with you the world of Hair Typing.

The Andre Walker System

This is by far the most known system for hair typing..it was amongst the first..Andre Walker is a stylist and a author of a book in which he talks about hair. I found an article from Diaspora Hair’s website and I’ll summarize the information below.

There are four types that comprises the AWSystem, classification 1-4.

Type 1 refers to straight hair, more commonly found on Asian and Caucasian women and men.

Type 2 refers to an unusual pattern..It is seen mainly in my opinion on Spanish women. It is hair with a curl pattern of S.. It has subtypes of A, B and C.

2A is hair that is fine and thin with an S-curl pattern

2B is hair that is medium heavy with a S curl-pattern

2C is thick and coarse hair with a S-curl pattern. The 2A hair is easy to blow dry and comb, where as 2C is less prone to styling and frizzes a lot.

Type 3 refers to a combination type..When this hair type is wet it appears to be straight, but when dry it curls up in coils or ringlets. Humidity makes this hair type curl up even more and also get frizzy. This texture/type of hair is easily styled in it’s natural state. When Type 3 hair is healthy it is super shiny and has very strong elasticity and moldability. The Type 3 family has 2 subtypes: 3A and 3B

3A hair is very loosely curled and shiny with big curls.

3B hair is medium curls to tight corkscrews that are super clumped to each other.

Type 4 refers to tightly coiled hair. (This is what I personally refer to as Afro-textured hair). This hair type tends to be driest and needs a lot of moisture. It is similar to type 3 but just more tightly coiled/curled. It is very fragile. The hair appears to be coarse when in fact it is very fine but tightly coiled together. Type 4 hair that is healthy won’t shine, but it will have sheen. It will be soft to the touch and will pass the strand test with ease. It will feel silkier than it will look shiny. This hair type has two subtypes: 4A and 4B.

4A hair is tightly coiled but when stretched has a s-curl patten to it.

4B hair is a Z-patterned hair type.. It does not hold moisture as well as 4A and it is wiry in texture.

This system is the most renowned however many have found that they do not fall into this category specifically so another system what developed called LOIS.
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