From the category archives:
Um, my hair that is.
I rarely do the wash n go thing anymore and I certainly don’t let my hair dry very often without being stretched or a moisturizing product on it. However, I decided to just let my hair dry naked to see how it looks. I DC’d, detangled with my Aveda Paddle Brush and rinsed. It’s about 85 percent dry in these pictures. My roots are still a bit damp.
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Girl! I had my big ultrasound yesterday and, in addition to being healthy, Kcurly Jr is also a little girl! She’s going to have great hair, I can already tell 
My 3 year old son was present at the ultrasound and in response the to fact that it was a girl he said “I said I want a boy baby”. However, he changes his mind everyday! Sorry kid, can’t send her back!
Profile shot!
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Photo courtesy of cnn.com
Speaking of Prince…(but isn’t he somehow related to all things?)
From CNN.com (click here for the whole article):
Iran has laid down the law: mullets won’t make the cut.
The Islamic regime, which strictly enforces head coverings for women, issued grooming guidelines for the guys this week.
Among the do’s that are now don’ts? The ’80′s Prince-style pompadour preferred by many young Iranian men, the Steven Seagal-style ponytail and the “business in the front, party in the back” sentiment of the mullet — also popular among the Persian populace.
The approved styles have a distinctly 1950s look to them: short on the front and sides for the most part. But the gel-slathered, combed-back 1980s look also received the government’s blessing.
Wow, that really makes me shake my head in amazement. But, c’mon, mullets? How will we have any fun if we can’t make fun of mullets?? Say what you will about our country (I know I do) but at least I can wear my hair the way I want. Because I have a very keen feeling that the “strongly suggested” style for us women of color would be bone straight chemically processed hair.
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Church lady hat? Check! Perfectly manicured brows? Check! Sequined outfit? Check! Freshly relaxed hair? Check! We have PRINCE, ladies!
Including blogs! But that’s another post…!
I was thumbing through a copy of Jet magazine the other day. Now, I hadn’t read an issue of Jet since Moses was a baby, but this particular edition had Prince on the cover in his finest church-lady hat, so I had to see the rest of the pics. BTW, that man has either had botox or they airbrushed the heck out of him. Can you say face like a baby’s bottom?
One of my first impressions was: Wow, they still have the “Jet Beauty” article. I don’t know what to say about that, but nothing good springs to mind. The only thing I can see that has changed about that is the model is sporting a lot more weave than I remember from my childhood. The bikini, sultry stare, and short blurb about her hobbies remain the same.
I read some other interesting articles, it was a fun diversion. Until, I came upon a hair article. It was entitled: “Summer Hair: Keep it Simple and Sharp”. From the DC based professional image, beauty and lifestyle consultant Celena Gill, comes some suggestions for “easy summer styles that will melt away your hair frustrations.”
I’m down with this advice at first. She praises braids, twists, buns, ponytails…and then comes the natural hair (which I’m assuming is being classified as a whole ‘nother entity).
From the article:
Natural hair encompasses so many different styles-afros, Bantu knots, dreadlocks-no matter the style, make sure that your hair is consistently conditioned. Natural hair tends to be drier than chemically relaxed hair and more prone to breakage. It needs to be moisturized on a regular basis to guarantee healthy hair.
Say what? More prone to breakage, you say? I think the hair that has been stripped of its outer layer (relaxed hair) is more prone to breakage, thank you very much. I don’t fight breakage near as much now that I am natural. That was the most ridiculous statement I saw in that paragraph.
The next one was the assumption that only natural hair needs to be moisturized on a regular basis. There was no mention of this for relaxed hair. She does specifically mention relaxed hair, but it’s in regard to the ponytail:
If you have chemically relaxed hair (provided you have a relatively fresh touch-up) or a finer texture of hair, you can pull your hair into a loose chignon or ponytail.
I guess I’m a rebel…me and my twists/braids that frequently go into a ponytail. And you gotta be freshly relaxed to do this? Is that really what that says?
I guess I’m just mad because I know some of you ladies out there who are considering going natural will read stuff like this in a magazine about how much more natural hair breaks and how it’s so very dry. She makes it sound like it’s some sort of chore to embrace your natural texture. I don’t deny that my hair is naturally dry, but it was just as dry when I was relaxed.
I’m sure she has a heck of a lot more beauty and hair related credentials than I do (all I have in a nursing degree), but I still gotta disagree.
Her overall tone was not negative when she got to the part about being natural, but it didn’t leave me with a good feeling either. I will end this on a good note: At least she recommended conditioning!
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After my failed braidout, which I really should’ve gotten pictures of, I decided to put in some small braids since my hair was already nice and stretched. I love my twists, but this is nice for a change. I hesistated to do these so small, as we all know that braids in general are the devil to remove compared to twists. I will report how the take down goes.
But…for now I am having lots ‘o fun! I did these with JC Nourish and Shine and Fleurtzy’s Hair Butter. Just so there’s not confusion, there is no added hair used in these braids. It took me about 6 or 7 hours to complete.
Whew! Took a long time to do, but well worth it!
Layers are present and accounted for!
Tied back with an ouchless band
Here's the front
Used my Tomoka's Twists
Tomoka's Twists...I really liked this look. The TT's really work well with braids.
I did a loose bun
Headband courtesy of the clearance table at Sally's!
Gotta love buns! No bobby pins used at all, just two ouchless bands.
In other news, I am now 17 weeks pregnant. I’ll be finding out the sex on July 15th! Yay! I’m starting to feel a little better but have been suffering from sciatic nerve pain and also occasional bouts of low blood pressure.
In other hair related news, you must read this post from the Natural Haven blog (if you want to know the science behind hair, this is the place to be!). JC, the author, shares her impression of the Essence live natural hair chat. I wasn’t able to view or join in on the chat, so I can’t comment personally. However, she eloquently expresses her concerns regarding the content of the chat. (Thanks to Sharifa for sending me an email about JC’s article)
Finally, thanks to OC_Swimmer, both a Newly Natural and Runninginafatsuit.com reader, for sharing her first triathlon race report with us! Read her story here and be inspired!
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There is already a certain amount of stress when being one of the few people of color when at work or at school. At least there is for me. Don’t get me wrong, there is no outward racism directed towards me (that I can detect). However, certain small things, like the ever so subtle glances my way when the President is mentioned, tend to add up.
All that aside, the most annoying thing lately has been hair related. It all starts with one question: “Can I touch your hair?”
Here’s a re-eneactment of the evolution of my responses over the last two years since I’ve been natural.
First time:
Person: “I love your hair! I wish mine would do that! Can I touch your hair?”
Me: (Big smile) “Oh sure! Go ahead!”
*Touching commences*
A few months later:
Person (maybe the same person, maybe a different person): “Oooh you just have the coolest hair! Can I touch it?”
Me: *polite smile* “Hmm? Oh yeah sure.”
A few weeks ago:
Person (sqealing with delight)” Oh my goodness! Look at your hair! Can I touch it?”
Me: (No nonsense look) “Not today, sorry”
I suppose I should be happy that they ask (as opposed to taking it upon themselves to go ahead and grab a fistful) and I hate to be a witch about it, but it’s getting on my nerves. Here’s the really strange thing: I don’t mind it in certain circumstances. I don’t mind those ladies who are newly natural or considering going natural touching my hair. I don’t really mind children asking to touch my hair. But…
When some folks ask me for a grope, I can see something akin to what I see in the eyes of children when they are at the petting zoo. If you’ve ever seen Family Guy, you may remember an episode where Stewie pets Cleveland (the black guy) on the head and squealed “I wanna touch his hair. Can I touch his hair? I’m gonna do it-I’m gonna touch his hair. (touches Cleveland’s hair) OOOOOOOO, it feels like a sheep!” Funny on TV, but in real life…not so much!
Other questionable comments I’ve received, especially when wearing a wash n go: “It’s so wild!” “I like your hair like that, it’s fun!” “You got rock star hair!”
Why does my hair, the way it naturally grows out my head, have be “wild” and “fun”. Why is it not “wild” and “fun” when a Caucasian person wears their hair down after washing it?
It’s weird that I didn’t mind comments like the above when I first BC’d. In fact I may have even considered them compliments. I suppose the more my hair becomes an actual part of myself instead of just a hairstyle, my perspective has changed. I don’t mind at all being different, but I don’t want to be treated like an oddity. The people who say these things are not bad people, I might add, just curious. Curiosity is not a bad thing but it’s something that should be expressed with care.
Sound off…is Kcurly being hormonal and overreacting? Give it to me straight ladies!
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