Before the changes

1958-2009

"her roots look as thirsty as cracked lips."

What in the world....how does a kajillionaire end up wearing a lacefront wig in this condition?? is that what's hot in the streets? what's this style called, Honey Homeless?

i just don't understand...

that sound is your hair crying out in gratitude

L'Oreal has a line of shampoos, conditioners, and other notions and potions to make your hair happy that are sulfate free....if you don't consider Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate a sulfate.

But rest assured, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate is not the same critter as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. But don't take my word for it, because i ain't no chemist.

Hit it, smart people:

Sodium lauryl sulfoacetate - Derived from coconut and palm oils; a safe, skin-friendly surfactant (foaming agent) for both skin and hair. This mild plant derived surfactant creates a rich, luxurious lather that effectively removes surface oil, dirt and bacteria, without stripping or drying sensitive skin. Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate is also hydrophilic. This means it is attracted to water, which enables it to dissolve more readily in water, thus providing superior rinseablility.

Sodium lauryl sulfoacetate vs. Sodium lauryl sulfate - Although an ingredient's name may sound similar to another, it does not mean that the molecules are similar with respect to shape, size, performance or even function. Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate sounds similar to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, however, the two molecules are quite different from each other. Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate is a large molecule ingredient. Large molecule ingredients are considered to be mild, gentle, and non-irritating, as they cannot penetrate the skin. In contrast, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is a small molecule ingredient, and is capable of penetrating the skin, which can increase the occurrence of skin irritation.

yeap, i'll be checking this one out too. i'll tell you what i think!

Alba Glossary

for colored girls when transitioning is not enough: ILLEGAL EDITION

Boss: can you come to my office for a moment.

Me: sure.

(later)

Boss: shut the door....i'm going to say something and i don't want you to take this the wrong way: i realize that when you have a baby, especially when you have two, you have to prioritize and spend your money money on things related to the care of the kids. but i want to take this (passes over a $50 bill) and go get your hair done.

Me:....thanks for the tip, but i won't be getting a relaxer.

Boss: you better!

Me: well, i'm not.

Boss: you better, or Pow! right in the kisser!

Me: nope, not gonna do it. but again, thanks for the tip!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
my boss has an inter-office reputation of saying and doing things that are rude, obnoxious, and inappropriate. and unfortunately, i can't honestly say this incident takes the cake when it comes to this type of workplace behavior.

but i will say this:

even though i know it happens, i don't think i really prepared myself for push back during this transition phase. and facing it like that, i was just astounded by the audacity of the words, as well as embarrassed that i had been "called out" like that. it's not the first time my hair has been thrown into the conversation pot at work, but it was definitely the least pleasant.

it is really interesting that black hair texture, the real stuff that grows out of your scalp, is only appropriate if you are male. while the conk had it's run there for a while...oh, and there was that shameful chapter in black american history called The Jheri Curl...for the most part, black men have been allowed to wear their own hair on their head with little to no static. but thanks to a beauty standard i didn't ask to adhere to, i was basically admonished by a black man that my hair needed to be done. and by done, i believe he meant straightened.

anyway, re-read the exchange. it just gets more and more curious the more you turn it over in your head.

someone, please call 911

There's a bullet in my heart and it's piercing through my soul.



Is it me, or does that first baby look like Monique in her after photo?

Jane Carter Solution! Lissen UP!

My Transition Buddy let me know she's found a product that is amazing!



Jane Carter Solution Nourish & Shine

Transition Buddy raved that it made her hair soft, shiny, and manageable. she's also very impressed that it is full of natural, healthy ingredients. She was able to find it at Whole Foods in her city and found that, even though it's a 4 oz container, it is well worth the money.

I found a product review for your consumption. LOVE this girl's hair!!!



The Jane Carter Solution

Mahogany Curls Youtube Channel

for colored girls when transitioning is not enough

picture it, Charlotte, NC, 5:00 pm, babysitter's......

Babysitter: i saw you talking to /redacted/'s mommy this morning in the driveway. how was that conversation?

Me: fine. i was talking to her about her sisterlocs.

Babysitter: oh, really?

Me: yeah. but, i do have a problem i need to talk to you about.

Babysitter: just go ahead and get a relaxer.

Me:....and the problem has nothing to do with my hair.

Babysitter: oh!

inner Me: awwwwkwarrrrrrd!

when flexi-rods go wrong

Sunday evening i decided to try to put some waves in my hair using flexi-rods. i got some Isoplus styling gel and was determined to give this style a go. i was bolstered by the fact that my Transitioning Buddy told me that bantu knot-outs were saving her life during this process. and i really felt like it was time to do something because i'm really starting to feel uncomfortable about how my hair looks day to day.

I'd watched the 15 minute Bantu Knot Out tutorial only to discover that i seem to have too many hands and arms to get the hair to successfully wrap around itself at the base. so i thought flexi-rods would be a easy alternative.

So i sat down Sunday night and while watching True Blood, began the process of twisting my hair and rolling it on the flexi-rods. at the last second, i punked out and didn't use the styling gel. and i didn't wet my hair either.

How did it turn out, you ask? GREAT!!



....if your idea of great is Roseanne Rosannadanna.

Back to the drawing board, my friends.

I'm not calling you a sucka...but....

During my research online for healthy haircare products, one concept has repeatedly come up: co-washing as opposed to shampooing.

No i must admit, upon first hearing about the concept, i was not convinced. to me, it just sounded like slathering conditioner on already dirty hair in the hope that it would somehow come clean. but testimonial after testimonial online speaks to the benefits of using a product which promotes moisture and health to clean your hair, as opposed to many of the sulfate based shampoos which can strip your hair of moisture.

It seems that getting over the notion that you have to see bubbles in the shower to produce clean, healthy hair is the ultimate hurdle.

But it's apparently possible.

So, I'd decided to give it a go, see what happens. many women online have touted conditioners easily found at Tarjay and The W as great products to use when co-washing. I figure 1) i have $5 and 2) my water is still on, so why not give it a shot this weekend!

Well, imagine my surprise when i saw an infomercial yesterday about a hair care system called WEN.



Guess what is soooooo amazing about WEN:

The WEN® Cleansing Conditioner is a revolutionary new concept in cleansing your hair that has Hollywood buzzing! It’s special because it cleanses hair thoroughly but without lathering and all the harsh ingredients that may be found in ordinary shampoos — it is designed so it won’t strip your hair and scalp of their natural oils. Your hair is left with sheen, moisture, manageability and better color retention. (Source)

and now for the final quiz question: guess how much it costs?

$29.95 plus s&h

Ok, so sure, you could spend $30 to try this "revolutionary new concept" or....and this is just a suggestion....you could spend way less on V05 Moisture Milk Conditioner, or Herbal Essence Hello Hydration, or Pantene Hydrating Curls to try a concept that the natural hair care community has been talking about for a while now.

Don't be a sucka.

Let's get this party started!

ok, actually, i got this party started in February. after a false start. see, what had happened was....

I was talking to a friend of mine around January. she was telling me about how she'd decided to go natural. this was something i have toyed with on and off since 1993, and i decided to make that move too. and i totally invited myself along for the journey. and i felt pretty good about that choice, too.

And so, on a cold day in February, i went to my my hairdresser ...The Miracle Worker...for my usual appointment and to inform him that i was not going to be getting anymore relaxers. i was RESOLUTE, i tell you!

So much so, that as i sat in the chair and he looked at me and asked "what are you getting done today," i opened my mouth and loudly, proudly proclaimed

"....i need a relaxer!!!!"

Yes, i cracked just that easily. i think my heart was even racing. i know for sure one eye was tearing up.

And that's the thing i want to address out the gate: i'm not making this change because i have a generalized, wide-sweeping opinion about whether or not black women should relax their hair. but i do have a pretty strong opinion about whether or not i need to continue to relax MY hair. i'm making this move for myself and i have concrete reasons behind it. more on that in a few...

So that is how February 20th, 2009 became the date of my last relaxer. and now that it's been almost 4 months since then, things on my head are really starting to get interesting.

stay tuned....