Election Day
Rocking my straightened hair with curls, I ensured that my voice was heard loud and clear as I made it to the polls to vote for my choice candidate. No matter your style of choice, I hope you did too!
Tag: Style
Dissing Natural Hair???
Ever feel like you’re dissing your textured natural hair when you run that sizzling straightening comb or flat-iron along your ringlets of curls. Well, it’s not. Simply put, it’s just another styling option.
Since I’ve embarked on this natural hair journey–as it’s affectionately called–I’ve gotten the impression from diehard naturals that you’re only “natural” if you wear your hair in its un-straightened state the majority of the time, permitting the occasional straightening just to showcase your length. Huh? I don’t like those rules and I don’t intend to play by them.
As I trudge along on my “natural hair” journey I’m discovering that I simply like my hair and all the different things I can do with it. Sometimes I like to rock it full and curly. Other times I like it contained in a nice pin-up style that I can wear for a few days without disturbing it–a.k.a. “get up and go”. Then there are times like these when I want to rock it straightened.
Right now there is no rhyme or reason as to how I rock my hair. I do what feels right at the time. For my best friend’s wedding last weekend I was compelled to showcase the beauty, versatility, and formal possibility of natural [textured] hair. Shout out to MsVaughnTv on YouTube. If I may say so myself, my hair couldn’t have looked more gorgeous!
For this particular occasion, time and patience was short. I didn’t have time nor the creative wherewithal for styling my “natural” hair. Honestly, I’m still rookie at it, but getting better every day.
I needed the simplicity of straight hair. Heck, twenty plus years of living with straight hair, I couldn’t go wrong. Even if it didn’t get as straight as I wanted it, my alternative plan was going to be a conservative bun, which, of course, I could’ve pulled off with my textured natural, but that wasn’t the look I wanted. And that’s okay.
As far I’m concerned hair is only an accessory to my physical self. I can do anything I want with it and it’s still going to look good!
So if you ever feel like you’re dissing your natural hair when you straighten it, throw some weave in it, or put a wig over it–DON’T!
It’s really not that serious…
Straight Hair Update
Honestly, I don’t know how much longer I can do this. Admittedly, I haven’t been as obsessed with my hair since I visited my beautician 2 wks ago and I let her run a straightening comb through my kinky hair. It’s not much to maintaining this straight ‘do. Wrap it, tie a scarf around out, then comb it out in the morning. Since I’ve been out of practice with the flat irons, most days I don’t even think about bumping the ends and that’s been alright with me. It’s been as carefree as locs–if that were possible.
It’s almost time for a washing. Think I’m going to use the opportunity to do something different. Right now I’m leaning towards kinky twist, if I can arrange my busy schedule for an appointment.
LaCharmine (L.A.) Jefferson
Author, Writer, Blogger
Website: http://www.lajefferson.com
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All Things Love @ http://all-things-love.blogspot.com
Naturally L.A. @ https://naturallyla.wordpress.com
Surviving Work @ http://survivingmydayjob.wordpress.com
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Flat-ironed Hair Reflections
“Wow! Who’s that girl in the mirror?” I exclaimed, taking in my own reflection. The woman looking back at me was a woman I hadn’t seen in quite a number of years. Not much had changed about her from her from the light brown color of her eyes to the slope of her nose, even the seasonal discoloration of her skin along her hairline. What had changed, however, was the length and thickness of loose tresses that had been neatly locked up for the last four years. Her imminent return was like that of a returning soldier from combat. You knew the cause of their absence was a worthy one but still you worried if you’d ever see them again. And when you do, it’s like, “Thank God!”
That’s pretty much how I felt seeing the result of straightening my hair. After all, isn’t a head of long, healthy hair the ultimate goal of most naturals? Whether rocking it curly or straight?
Natural Hair Flat Ironed Results
Practice Makes Perfect–Goddess Twist
Midweek, it was time to tighten up twist for a couple of reasons:
1. I’m cant keep my hands out of my hair for nothing’ so it had become a little loose.
2. Needed to re-moisturize
Nevertheless, redoing the twist enabled me to give it a go of perfecting the style.
Here goes…
What are your thoughts? From the previous post to this one, is it getting better?
Next time I do this style I’m going to take my daughter’s suggestion and do a braid. Plus I’m going to start in the back. Stay tuned for that.
Scared of the Loose Natural
Approaching my 3rd month of being un-loc’d and sporting my “loose”natural hair I can unequivocally confess that I’m scared as hell of my “loose” hair!
What exactly scares me?
1. Having spent the last four years WITHOUT handling my loose natural. Locs provided an almost carefree hair lifestyle. I could do as much or as little as I cared to do. Loose natural requires effort.
2. Nighttime maintenance. A cute style all day long can be ruined if not properly cared for at night. Even with straightened hair I struggled with maintaining styles, especially full ones like wet sets. Somehow the next day, after wearing a bonnet and trying to sleep pretty, my hair would be smashed, having no chance of lasting more than a day.
3. Looking a hot ass mess. Of course this is the direct result of #2 or some semblance of it. When a cute hairstyle from one day doesn’t carry over to the next and I’m pressed for time before work or church and don’t have a clue how to style my hair. Luckily this has only happened to me once or twice on these 2 months BUT that’s also because I fell back into two-strand twist mode. Not that that’s a bad thing. I’m just saying.
4. Hair loss/breakage. Second best thing about having locs next to having a ready made style was never experiencing hair loss. When I hair on the comb, on the rare I comb my hair outside of detangling my hair, I hate having that worry if the hair I see is breakage or normal shedding. Naturally, I’d prefer the latter.
There it is in a nutshell. Now that I’ve admitted my fear, the process begins of overcoming it.
First step was freeing my hair from the confines of my week old two strand twist.
So far so good. Today marks the 2nd day and the style is the same minus the flower–couldn’t locate my green flower. Plus I’m happy to report that I slept a little better last night, not as paranoid about whether my curls were going to be smashed to smithereens over night.
Even if you didn’t transition from locs to loose natural, have you experienced fears with working with your “loose” natural hair? Subscribe to my blog to follow my journey.
Naturally L.A. 