New Beginnings

I am in the process of recreating my entire blog. My ideal blog will embody all of my thoughts, interests beyond natural hair, and more! Today I made my first post on my new blog and would like you to check it out!

Here!!

Happy Birthday Virgos!

Yes it's that time of year --- Virgo Season! I'm excited about my upcoming birthday, September 8th! Over the past few months I've heard people stressing over the CurlBOX craze. There has been alarms set, madness, controversy, excitement, heartache, and a lot of other emotions being expressed about this service. I've been a CurlBOX receiver since it launched earlier this year. Even though it's my birthday, I wanted to do something for all of the followers of my fan page, where I first saw disappointment from followers.

SO here it goes...I fought through the madness of signing up for CurlBOX again, so that I could giveaway the opportunity of a subscription to one of my followers.Your first box (September) will be on me!

CurlBOX

For those who aren't familiar with CurlBox it's a subscription service for a mix of products that are good for curly, kinky, and textured hair. Each month there are new products that are shipped to you. I've read that there are some new boxes in the making so you may want to stay tuned for that.

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One of my biggest goals that I set this year was to complete my first half marathon! I've been doing a training program, eating healthy, and gave up drinking pop to help me accomplish this goal. Today I ran for 10 minutes, walked for 3 minutes, and repeated for 5 sets. Tonight I'll repeat it for a total of 10 sets. As you can see I did a little over 2 miles doing this. The race is a little over a month away! Wish me luck ^_~"

What I'd like to see from those who enter this giveaway is a goal (new/old) and what's being done to reach it! This can be in the form of before/after/progress pictures, a vision board (collage of pictures and words), certificate earned, etc. Be creative and have fun!

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To Enter:

1. Must like my Facebook Fan Page AND
2. Post a picture of your entry on the fan page wall AND
3. Tag me in the picture

That's it! This giveaway will be open for 1 week, so you have until Monday, September 10th, at 11:59pm EST to enter.

The winner will have 48 hours to contact me once a winner is announced, or a new winner will be chosen!

Name Those Earrings!!

Hey hey, if you have not had the chance to check out Red.Daisy please take a minute to do so. I was in the process of adding a new pair of button earrings to the shop, then became stumped. I am not sure what to name these beautiful pair!

I NEED YOUR HELP!

Rules:

• Enter by leaving a comment with your name idea & if it is chosen you will receive a FREE PAIR! It is that simple!
• You may enter more than once, BUT 1 earring name per comment!
• This giveaway is available to everyone internationally!!
• Giveaway will be open until Friday, August 31st at 11:59pm EST when another announcement will take place ^_~"

Good Luck!

Naturally MzDezy Milestones & Goals!

I wanted to take the time to thank everyone that has been supportive of Naturally MzDezy! I also want to welcome all of the newcomers and long term supporters! Please continue to give feedback, ask questions, and share the site. There has been so many exciting things going on in the past couple of months! Many many milestones have been met and exceeded.

The Fan Page on Facebook has reached, and passed the previous goal of 100 likes!!

If you haven't had a chance to check out the Fan Page make sure that you do! There are inspirational quotes, messages, photos, hair info, and more! Don't be shy about sharing your own photos to be added to any of the albums.

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Follow me on Instagram @MzDezy!!

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This app was suggested to me by a friend, and guess what....I love it! If you're a picture taker, like to search pictures, or just into socialmedia I'd suggest this app to you. Make sure to search and follow me @MzDezy!

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Side Note:

Outside of socialmedia and blogging I've been meeting goals I've set for myself. One goal is to complete my college education. A milestone I've reached with this goal is getting enrolled, and back in class again! College has definitely been a rocky period of my life, but I'm SO excited and happy to be back in school!!!

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Yep, that is a marathon logo! I've registered to run the half marathom (13.1 miles) in this race. This will be my first time running a race of this length, but I'm determined. Wanting a challenge for myself, and wanting to do something for a good cause prompted me to join this marathon. There is about 2.5 months left to train before the Big Day is here. Wish me luck!

Did You Know:

4 out of 5 African American women are overweight or obese?!

The group Black Girls Run was created to change that! Check it out and see if there's a local group for you to join:



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These are just a few milestones and goals that are active in my life right now.

Do you have any goals or milestones you've reached recently?! How is that New Years Resolution looking....have you stuck with it?

Start thinking about your goals and milestones *hint hint* Thank you again for supporting Naturally MzDezy and feel free to share this post and  Tweet me @MzDezy!!

Length Check & Updates

In the past the length of my hair wasn't as much of a priority to me as the health and condition of my hair. I still feel that hair grows back and there's nothing wrong with cutting it. In October of 2011 I signed up for a hair challenge, It's All Mine. After doing a henna treatment I blow dried, trimmed, and flat ironed my hair straight. I noticed that my hair has grown a lot. Even though I've been completely relaxer free for some years now I never stopped getting hair cuts. The cuts were more than just a trim so prior to joining the hair challenge my hair appeared to stay the same length. It's definitely been a challenge to keep the scissors away from my hair if it's not for trimming purposes.

If you haven't checked out Naturally MzDezy on Facebook yet I encourage you to! I recently posted a photo showing my hair growth from October 2011 to the present.

The Natural Hair Challenge 2014 is now closed, but if you're interested in seeing how much hair you can grow and retain I'd say go for it! "Unofficially join" the challenge by pledging to do all that's necessary to protect, and maintain your hair. For me the trick is staying on top of conditioning daily, deep conditioning as needed, and trimming as needed. Wearing styles other than poofs and wash n go's has helped me be successful in growth retention. Being challenged to do protective styling has been interesting as well. I've come up with some pretty creative hair styles along the way.

Have you been documenting your own hairs progress? Do you have pictures of styles you've done on yourself or others? Share your pictures via Naturally MzDezy on Facebook, and be added to the "Hair I Did" album!! You'd be surprised by who you can inspire with your hair photos. You can also send me a Tweet @MzDezy!

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Some Naturally MzDezy via Facebook "Hair I Did" Photos

Naturally Meet: Karita

It's been a while since we've had a Naturally Meets post, so I decided to bring it back with a friend of mine. This beauty has overcome many obstacles and continues to climb, break barriers, and achieve a list of goals. She's very talented, wears many hats, is down to earth, and rocks natural hair. If you haven't already heard her name, be on the look out! I'd like you to Naturally Meet Karita Fleming!!

How long have you had natural hair? Over 10 years

What's your definition of natural hair? Just no relaxers, because to say chemical free is silly. You're setting yourself up for the impossible, because even dreadlocks require maintenance with conditioners and shampoos; all which have chemicals in it. Even the water we use to wash it has chemicals in it.

Do you have a favorite style to wear?  I love em all. My style changes when the wind blows. I can flat iron it straight, add color, or rock a giant afro. The possibilities are limitless.

Any must have products?  Just recently discovered Mane and Tail detangler, it is a life saver. It quite literally transformed my hair from a gnarled up monkey knuckle that would break a comb, into a healthy manageable tangle free mess of curls.

If you could suggest 2 things to someone who's considering going relaxer free what would they be? First, don't think just because your hair is natural you have to rock an afro for the rest of your life. As a model or actress, for me having to always rock the same style would be a career killer. Natural offers the same hair options as a relaxer, and in fact more, because you can now dye your hair, you can straighten it with a flat iron, wear weaves and wigs, play with textures, or you can rock an afro with little to no lasting damage to your hair.

Second, to be honest not everyone looks good with the afro just as some people can't rock short hair or red hair, or blond isn't your thing, but please really explore all your natural options, for instance like more people don't know this, but Queen Latifah has natural hair she keeps braided in cornrows or flat ironed.

What was your biggest hair mishap? The last hair show I did for Paul Mitchell. It was so terrible. They bleached my hair then died it 5 colors, and shaved a headband into my head and cut out little stars in the middle of my hair.

How did you cope?  After the show I went home and balled my eyes out. Let's just say a good chunk of that pay check went to getting me a nice wig for a month or two.

Where do you get hair styles/fashion tips from? From anywhere and everywhere, sometimes it might be an anime I saw, a film, book, my shoes, or the way the sunsets and the biggest is YouTube. Someone will know how to exactly what you want to do to your hair and tell you how to do it step by step. I learned how to cornrow my own hair last night for instance and I love making my own clothes so it gives you that too.

Do you have any fav hair sites, blogs, or magazines?  I look for inspiration from every possible source. I have to admit it, but I am that chick that loves getting the hottest styles first (just to be like you ain't up on this). So I usually watch YouTube for most of the fashion weeks from around the world. It usually is an indicator of the next big trends. I love love love Trendhunter.com. Being a model and actress means you have to take in a lot of media from music videos to magazines. Well, I haven't actually read a real magazine in a long time, but my favorite blog, besides yours, is MUSE from Paris, and Cutie from Japan, and of course ISIS from the U.K. As for films the biggest influence right now is, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," original version and anime from Japan. I have to stop there, because this would take over the whole blog to name them all off.

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What does your family and friends think about your hair? My mom is so not a fan, but my boyfriend loves it when I pull out my Foxy Cleopatra (my Afro's nickname).

Are you your hair?  Yes and no. Hair is dead; it isn't a living organism no matter what a hair commercial tells you. But what I do with my hair is an expression of me.

If your hair had a theme song, what would it be? Chaka Kahn 1979 "I'm Every Woman"

Did you transition from your relaxed hair, or did you do the big chop? I actually got bored of my hair when I was about 16. Like I always had long relaxed hair for most of my life, and one day I wanted my hair to be a reflection of me, so I chopped it all off like the chick from 28 days later and never looked back.

 Any pics to share? Girl, they are plastered all over my internet and facebook, but I have a few just for your blog.

Is there anywhere we can see more of you online? Recently I was featured in Vibe Vixen Magazine, and finished an editorial for ISIS, which is a British mag dedicated to natural hair. You can also see me on the first season of MTV2's Burnout the Ultimate Challenge, and soon to be aired Syfy Pilot "Wizard Hunters." Also check out my page and Facebook.

Twitter? @KaritaFleming

Naturally MzDezy on Facebook

Have you checked out the Facebook Group: Naturally MzDezy?? What are you waiting for ^_^" Here is a peek at a few of the latest posts:

Styling Ideas for All Ages

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A #NaturalHair support group in Cleveland, OH!  <~~ Links to natural hair news, updates, and stories from different locations!

You can find, "LOTS of #NaturalHair inspirational pics!" Even links to lists of pictures.

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Hair Inspiration



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Encouragement

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”
- Thomas A. Edison

"Some days we just need a reminder."

"Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it."
— BRUCE LEE

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Be sure to Like & Share Naturally MzDezy on Facebook!! Occasionally there will be a Giveaway for group members or even a chance to sample Red.Daisy Products made by MzDezy!

Whipped Shea Coconut Shimmer Body Butter

As always, thanks for stopping by!!! Tweet me @MzDezy ^_~"

Step by Step: Hawk Variation

After wearing my hair in a twist out for a while I needed to wash and style it for Easter, but was short on time. Instead I thought of an easy style to get me through the day until I could wash my hair that night. The end result of this style looks like a mohawk made of puffs.

Tools I used: Shea butter mixture, 3 rubber bands, 7 standard sized protected bobby pins, 1 large protected bobby pin, and hair pins (number may vary)

I didn't want to manipulate my hair too much so I didn't use a comb. To begin I smoothed on my shea butter mixture to moisturize my hair and to give it a shine. Next I sectioned my hair into 4 sections making the biggest in the front of my head.

(Right) The red shows where a rubber band is used. The brown shows where rough parts were made.

Tip: If you part your hair using a comb you'll be able to see the parts easier in the finished product. If you use your hands/fingers to section your hair there won't be parts showing in the finished style.

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The very first hump in a basic pompadour secured with one large bobby pin. Once that's completed I moved on to the next pony tail in line. The hair is roughly divided into two parts, rolled, and then secured with a standard bobby pin.

 (Right) The red shows how the pony tail is roughly divided into two parts. The brown shows where the rubber band is securing the ponytail.

Tip: The rubber bands don't have to be very tight, or to pull your hair uncomfortably in any way. The sections that are pinned don't have to be exactly the same size either.

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After your first section is finished it should look similar to this:

 (Right) The brown shows the direction the hair was rolled. Yellow shows where a bobby pin was placed and red shows the rubber band that was used.



Tip: You can see that the pompadour was bobby pinned in two places since the section was so large. I made the next section's rolls large enough to touch and blend with the roll next to it. You won't notice the rubber bands once the rolls are done.

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Continue to roll and pin for the remaining pony tails.

Tip: When you section your hair, if you make the sections smaller as you go towards the back of your head the puffs will appear to cascade down your head ^_~" Also, when securing with the standard bobby pins, place one pin on each side of the roll. This will help minimize the amount of bobby pins needed.

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The last step when all of the rolls are pinned is to just clean up any stray hairs, curls, or make the puffs tighter with the hair pins. Since I started this with hair that had been previously twisted I had random strays all over the place.

After pinning everything how I liked here is the result:

 

Follow & Tweet me @MzDezy

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Night Care: Since this style is so simple to do I take it down completely and cover with a satin bonnet before bed. In the morning I sprits with my EO water mixture, smooth and restyle.

This hawk variation, puff hawk --- what would you call it?? --- has many pros:

• Can be worn by people with different hair lengths
• The number of puffs can be changed very easily to switch up the style
• People who are transitioning can wear this style
• Doesn't take a lot of time to style
• Easy style for people of all skill levels to achieve
• Can serve as a protective style since the ends of your hair are covered

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I encourage you to try this style!! If you do make sure you post it on the Facebook Fan Page, so that it may be added to the "Hair I Did" album for others to see! You're welcome to post any and all natural hair pictures of styles you've created or styles that inspire you in some way!

March Newsletter

NaturallyMzDezy

In case you haven’t noticed, my blog has been going through some changes as of lately. Slowly, but surely, the site will be getting a facelift. Good news---I own my own domain now! The url: http://mzdezy.blogspot.com will still work, but the new url is: www.naturallymzdezy.com. Thank you for your patience, continued support, and please continue to share.

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Other ways to connect:

Twitter: Follow me @MzDezy, or tweet using the hashtag #NaturalHair or  #TeamNatural. Every Tuesday, at 7pm join natural hair wearers in some  #CurlChat.

Facebook: Like the group A Natural Hair Affair and share with friends! Whether you have natural hair, are interested in it, or just want to show support---Welcome!! www.facebook.com/anaturalhairaffair

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Dandruff vs Dry Scalp

To date, I believe this is the most popular post out of the whole blog! I’m assuming many people have concerns about these issues, and/or want to tell the difference. Dandruff and dry scalp are often confused. In most cases the person is just suffering from dry scalp. How do you deal with dry scalp?

Have you ever had dandruff? Share your experiences via Twitter, Facebook, or the blog!

http://www.naturallymzdezy.com/2011/09/dandruff-vs-dry-scalp.html

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Wanted: Hair Inspiration

Need inspiration, ideas, or do you have either to share?? We’d love to know! Share your stories, pictures, advice, etc.

Also, if you have natural hair pictures of styles you’ve created add them to the group Wall, so that they may be added to the Hair I Did album!

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Most people know Billie Holiday for her singing and her trendsetting hair flowers. Did you know she started wearing these after a BIG hair mishap?

http://www.naturallymzdezy.com/2012/02/hair-oops.html

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Have you heard of CurlBOX? I first saw it in a holiday magazine article on what to buy your natural friend J So far CurlBOX has surpassed my expectations. Very pleased with the monthly goodies I’ve been getting.

CurlBOX is a monthly hair club for Curly Gurls

www.CurlBOX.com

Stay tuned for some reviews via Facebook

Questions? Email me!!

Style Quickie: Two Strand Twists on Blown out Hair

I realized I've been straying away from the hair challenge that I signed up for last year!!! One of the points is to do protective styles to promote length retention. So from here out, I'll be making conscious efforts to stay away from puffs, wash n go's, and other loose styles.

It's been almost a week since I co washed and styled my hair. I really wanted to try a new heat protectant I bought, but didn't want to flat iron my hair. The style that popped in my mind was two strand twists on blown out hair.

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I blow dried my hair about 80% of the way, making sure the roots were the most dry. I also avoided putting too much heat on the ends of my hair. After sectioning my head I began twisting in the back of my head. The twists in the back are randomly placed. When I worked on the front section I twisted with more order. I chose this method so that the front section could cover up any gaps or un-uniform twists in the back.
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Products Used:

• Vo5 Conditioner
• Heat Protectant
• Oils (I mixed in a bottle) coconut oil, grape seed oil, sweet almond oil
• My shea coconut butter mixture
• Water (to hold the ends of my hair)

Notes that helped me:

• While twisting the back I would occasionally look in a mirror to make sure I wasn't making the twists too big. If there was too much space in between twists I just divided the over sized one in half.
• The front section of my hair, in general, becomes loose over time easier than the back of my head. To curb this, I made these twists smaller than the twists in the back.
• Once there was about a half inch from the end of my hair I'd dip my finger in water, and then continue to twist. To protect my ends I twisted as far as I could, and then twirled the twisted end with my wet finger. This made the end curl, and hold without the use of any gels.
• To get the twists to lay a certain way in the front I parted the front section before I began twisting. I made sure the twists stayed on their side of the part while I styled.
• Last time I did this style I noticed a lot of gaps in the back of my head that weren't caught in the styling process. To avoid this, I'd grab a mirror and check while styling the front. Adjusting as needed helped eliminate this.

At night there are a couple of options to help preserve your hair and this style.

1. Wearing a satin scarf or bonnet can help without drying out your twists
2. Using a satin pillow case so moisture isn't absorbed from your hair

I didn't want to risk flattening my twists too much, so I opted for the satin pillow case. In the past this was sufficient for me.

Since the scalp is exposed more than usual with a style like this, it can become dry. For me, a dry scalp and an itchy scalp go hand in hand! At night, I'll use my oil mixture and massage it into my scalp. After rubbing the mixture in my hands I'll gently massage it into the twists themselves -- concentrating on the ends. This can be done as needed.

I may try out a couple different styles for these twists. Whenever I feel like I need a change I'll wear this style in a twist out before washing and restyling! I'll be sure to post pictures in the "Hair I Did" album on Facebook, so be sure to check it out!! If you have any pictures of styles that you've done yourself -- post them on the wall and they'll be added!

Follow me on http://www.twitter.com/mzdezy

Hit a Roadblock? Remember: Why you decided to go natural!

I feel like this topic is long over due for me to write about. I know I've been away for a while, but there's a LOT of things going on right now. My laptop is down for the moment, I've been redesigning the blog, I had a mental block, and life has just been happening. This specific topic has been on my mind for sometime now, but I didn't know how to get it out. Deciding to stop chemically processing your hair is a simple decision for some, and a huge step for others. There will be countless obstacles that will arise, especially in the "honeymoon phase" of your newly natural hair. In my next few posts, I'm planning to touch on a few different things that I feel are important to remember, not only in the beginning, but throughout the years you're chemical free.

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When I decided to stop chemically straightening my hair it felt like it was a bigger deal for other people, than it was for me. Some loved it, some were interested, some were indifferent, some had jokes, some hated it and felt it was the worst decision I could've ever made in life! Initially, the negativity REALLY bothered me; mostly because it came from some of my own family members. I felt as if my family should've been the most supportive, and understanding, but it wasn't that way. Today, unless it's said while I'm out the room ^_^" I feel like all of the people in my life are very accepting, understanding, and supportive of decision to skip the chemicals. Ironically, a few of the people who had negative feelings about my hair have now decided to forego chemically straightening themselves!

• So, why did you decide to go natural?
• What initially made you even consider to not put chemicals in your hair to straighten it?
• How did you feel then, how do you feel now?
• Why's it important for you to stick with your choice?

These are important questions to ask and to have answers for; answers for yourself that is.

Having answers for questions like these really helped me when I encountered roadblocks. The roadblocks could be anything that makes you think twice or question your decision. It could be anything that changes your mind, makes you feel bad, convinces you to return to chemical straightening, etc. Reminding myself of these answers helped to keep me on the path of my new commitment.

Possible Roadblocks:

• Friends/family not being supportive of your choice
• Strangers/co-workers making comments
• Someone trying to talk you out of your decision
• A partner threatening to break up with you
• People suggesting that you straighten your hair all the time
• Having your hair compared to anything other than hair & not in a good way
• Being mistaken for a male when you're female
• Feeling self conscious after doing the big chop
• Having a hard time learning to care for/style your hair
• Your hair isn't growing as fast as you'd like
• Being over whelmed by the amount of products that are available

Bumps in the road are countless, do, and will happen, but its how you get over, around, or work with them that's important!

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It's really helpful for me, even today, to remember what my answers are to the above questions. I don't ever give a serious thought to chemically straightening my hair. Some comments or reactions do bother me from time to time though. My answers honestly help to keep me encouraged, confident, and motivated!



Why did I decide to go natural? The decision was easy solely, because my reasoning to chemically straighten my hair was a simple one. In high school I didn't get relaxers, but I was going to a salon once a week. When I went away to college I had no clue how to do my natural hair. It hurt to comb, was tangled after washing, was dehydrated; just a mess. Relaxing was easier to me, but destructive on my hair. Without the relaxer my hair was noticeably healthier, longer, and stronger. My preference for healthier hair (in the long run) was greater than my desire for easier (at the time) maintenance.

What initially made you even consider to not put chemicals in your hair to straighten it? The whole idea of "natural hair" was foreign to me at the time. I just knew that at the end of the day I wanted healthy hair and relaxers weren't doing that for me. I'd rather have 2 inches of the healthiest, strongest hair there is, than to have waist length hair that's damaged, thinning, and overall unhealthy.

How did you feel then, how do you feel now? It soon changed, but initially I felt alone because I didn't have anyone who could help me. Being away from home, I didn't know anyone who was also chemical free and who I felt could relate. I also felt very defensive, because of some things people would say about my hair. Now, I feel very secure in my decision, and welcome questions/opinions from others. I've met a ton of people who share similar experiences or even just an interest with me. Some of these people are complete total strangers who will strike up a conversation simply, because they recognize that I have natural hair, and that's comforting in a way.

Why's it important for you to stick with your choice? I'll use a quote that I love ^_^ If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything. My hair is me, it's a part of me, always has, and always will be. The way my hair grows out of my scalp is just fine with me, I don't see anything negative about it, and I don't feel like there's a need for me to alter that. At the end of the day I have to do what makes me happy.

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Overall, the advice I'd give to anyone who: is having trouble styling, has little support, is brand new to being chemical free, is frustrated for whatever reason, wants to go back to relaxers, etc. would be to remember why.

I challenge you to take a few minutes and answer the same questions that I did above. Answer them honestly and with the gut feeling that initially comes to you. Whenever you have self doubt, need encouragement, a reminder, or just a boost--- look at what you wrote or just remember. This should help give you what you need to get around the roadblocks you encounter ^_~"

I'd love to hear your thoughts, answers to the questions, etc. What are some roadblocks you've faced, and how did you deal with them? Any advice for others or just thoughts on the subject?? Share:

via Facebook

Tweet me!

via email

<3

Hair Oops!

Have you ever had a hair disaster before?? How did you fix it, or cope with it? While reading about some past and present style icons I came across some info about the great late singer Billie Holiday. Besides a powerful voice, Lady Day was known for wearing gardenia flowers in her hair. This led to a trend that many still follow. I personally can't get enough of hair flowers! Did you know that this was an accidental trend? Yep, it's true! Mrs. Holiday had a section of hair burned off by a curling iron that was too hot!! To mask the area she pinned flowers all over it. This cover-up turned out to be a signature look for her.



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My hair oops

During my 1st attempt at transitioning I tried to straighten my hair with a straightening comb. Bad BAD idea! The comb was way too hot and literally burned through my hair. Just my luck it happened to be a section at the crown of my head. I was left with a cluster of about 1 inch hairs sticking straight up in the air. Imagine the little hairs on top of tweety birds head, SO embarrassing! There was really no way to cover this up. It took a few months of scalp massages with tea tree oil and heat avoidance to grow the spot out to a workable length. I definitely learned my lesson, and have not repeated it since! I wish I had pictures of it to serve as a warning of what heat damage can do.

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Post your hair mishaps, oops', trial/errors, etc over on Facebook! I'd love to hear them...if you also have pics, please share!

You can also Tweet me your pics @MzDezy ^_~"

I apologize for any inconvenience!! My blog is undergoing some new exciting changes ^_~" It should be back up and running in the very near future!

While you're waiting you can check out A Natural Hair Affair over on Facebook. I'm big on current events, and have posted some news articles relating to natural hair; also current hair events in different areas! Let me know what you think, or if you have anything to add!!

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New owner of a domain!!! Check back soon to see updates ^_~"



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Follow me on Twitter @MzDezy

Are you well conditioned?

It's very important to make sure that your hair is conditioned well. It's one of the best things you can do for your hair. Conditioner strengthens your hair by adding a protective layer to it. This is important if you spend a lot of time in the sun, use heated styling tools, wear hats, live where winters are rough, use dyes, wear pony tails, or do anything that causes manipulation of your hair daily.

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Conditioner:

Smoothes the cuticle- this locks in moisture, decreases the amounts of tangling, minimizes frizz, and adds shine to the hair. Hair appears shinier, and healthier, because with smoothed cuticles light is reflected more evenly.



Green: raised cuticle of strand #1
Pink: raised cuticle of strand #2

In a way the cuticle of your hair acts as a gateway for moisture. If it's raised, then moisture can escape easily leaving the hair vulnerable. The raised cuticles can get caught on each other causing snags, tangles, and breakage. If the cuticle is sealed, then the hair is protected, moisture is locked in and less tangling occurs. 

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TIP: If you have dry hair you may want to use conditioner in place of shampoo about every other time you wash your hair. This will help your hair retain moisture without stripping it too much.

There are different types of conditioner available and it's important that you choose the right one for your hair type or texture. Just like there's different facial products for different skin types (oily, dry, combination) the same applies for hair.

Type of Conditioner:

1. Conditioning Pack- usually thick, heavy and full of fatty acids; typically keep on hair for a long period before rinsing; leave thick layer on cuticle tightly sealing the cuticle
2. Regular Conditioner- usually applied after shampooing; helps seal and smooth cuticle
3. Leave In Conditioner- lighter conditioner that leaves a thin coating on the hair; helps with detangling; typically don't contain many oils

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Which conditioner should you use?

Fine Hair- heavy conditioners will weigh it down and make it appear dull and limp. Try a volumizing conditioner that's light and will add volume!

Thick Hair- has similarities to curly hair; often it's dry and appears dull. Thick deep conditioner is needed. Ones with fatty acids (jojoba oil, coconut oil, etc) work best!

Curly Hair- almost always is dry, because the natural oils in the scalp aren't able to reach the full length of the strands. Deep conditioners and ultra moisturizing conditioners are needed to moisturize, shine, and smooth the best!

Color Treated Hair- permanent dye lasts, because it penetrates the hair shaft and can replace your hairs natural keratin protein. This is why dyed hair can be dry and brittle. Protein conditioners are a must for color treated hair!

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TIP: When applying conditioner, start at the tips of your hair and work your way to your scalp! It'll allow more time for the ends to benefit from the treatment.

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Random Fact:

Essential and carrier oils were used for years as hair conditioners. Some were left greasy residue behind if touched. To prevent furniture from being stained antimacassars were created. The name comes from one specific oil used; macassar oil.



Remember these on Granny's couch??



How often do you condition your hair?

What are your go to products?

Do you prefer deep conditioning to leave in conditioning? Why?

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