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Best Moisturizer for Natural Hair: Water

I was joking with my sister the other day, that I should put some water in a fancy bottle, and market it as the best moisturizer for natural hair. I bet I'd make a pretty dime off of that. It seems too simple, but it actually works. Also, we've been avoiding water all of our lives (as far as hair goes), so it seems strange that water is acually your friend.

Anyway, I use water:

1. As a daily moisturizer to keep my hair from drying out. It keeps my hair pliableand moist. I joke that may hair is like clay, as long as it has some moisture to it, I can do something with it. But as soon as it dries out, my hair is stubborn and unmoveable.

2. When I have a hair emergency: Usually a hair emergency occurs when I go to bed (after a good sweaty workout) without so much as looking at a comb, a brush, or a head scarf. I wake up in the morning looking like a cross between Mufasa (from the Lion King) and Don King. At this point, I saturate my hair with water--put some gel and hair greese on it and slick it back into a completely acceptable afro puff. Note: when my hair was shorter, I would put a brush back, and put a fake afro puff on it or a track.

So the moral of the story is: Don't run from water, embrace it!

Natural Spotlight: Todra

I ran across Todra's amazing photos when I was researching for my blog. Her photos were so beautiful that they made me feel beautiful. Needless to say, I was OVERJOYED when she agreed to be featured on luvmyafro.com

to see more photos: http://members.fotki.com/Todra/

7 Questions

Occupation: Professional makeup artist and wardrobe stylist for national ads and television commercials

How long have you been natural? I've been natural for about 15 years.

Why did you decide to go natural? I was tired of looking like everyone else with flat, straight hair. And at the time I really wanted locs. I wore locs for six years. I loved them.

Explain your current style: I wear my hair out in a curly fro most times. Or a puff when I don't feel like fussing with it too much.

What are your three favorite products? I hope it's okay that I answer this a bit more thoroughly because I have a definite routine that works together. I don't really buy much in terms of commercial products. I only use natural products - mostly stuff I make myself. I wash my hair with bentonite clay or baking soda and water. I condition with high fat content organic plain yogurt mixed with raw honey (sometimes I'll throw some Burt's Bees Raspberry Conditioner on my head if I'm traveling and can't bring perishable items with me). I spritz it daily with aloe vera juice mixed with honeyquat (a derivative of honey that provides three times the moisture of vegetable glycerin). Finally, I seal with the purest shea butter I can buy online. This is what I do to my hair weekly. Once a month I use Yemen henna to color and I rinse with a hair tea made of nourishing herbs, organic apple cider vinegar and hibiscus flowers for a deep raspberry tint.

How did you transition from relaxed to natural? I didn't transition. I chopped my hair down to the smallest fro ever. loved my short fro and loved sporting it until my hair grew out. It seemed like more trouble to work with two textures of hair and worry about breakage than to just go cold turkey.

Any tips you'd like to share? My biggest suggestion is to find what works for your hair and don't get caught up with purchasing a hundred different products. Also, I'd really recommend learning about ingredients found in most commercial hair products. I received a great book called A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients. It tells me what ingredients have been linked to health issues so I can avoid products with those ingredients. There are options now like Oyin Handmade products and other natural brands made specifically for our hair that are also healthy for our bodies. I won't get breast cancer just so I can have cute hair.

Not Going to See the New Chris Rock Documentary

I just saw the trailer for "Good Hair" and one of the reviews said "side-splitting". Huh? What? It makes me feel like the movie is making fun of black women--especially those who wear weaves and relaxers. And maybe it wasn't intentional, but that's how it's coming across---in the trailers anyway.

I just don't want to sit through 2 hours of Chris Rock talking about hair and weaves and relaxers. As an English teacher, I spend all day thinking about themes, similes, commas, and semicolons; so when I go to the movies I don't want to be stressed out, I just want to laugh. And even though the reviewers said that the movie was "side-splitting", I don't think that analyzing our hair issues for the whole world to see would be funny to me.

I would like to celebrate black women, relaxed hair, nappy hair, no hair. Whatever! The most important people in my life happen to be black women, and it doesn't matter to me how they wear their hair.

Not Hatin' On My Sister's With Relaxers!

It seems that whenever I talk to women with with relaxed hair, they want almost want to apologize or make excuses for relaxing their hair. And I'm like if that's the hairstyle that works for you, then "work it." I'm not going to stand in judgement of you because you alter your natural hair texture.

Technically, I alter my hair's texture too. For example, after I wash it, I "stretch" it out. I also had chemicals like gels and leave in conditioners to alter the texture of my hair.

And when you really think about it, it's only hair. There are so many other things that I would rather spend my time focusing on. If I am going to have "a cause", I would much rather it be, homelessness, world hunger, or AIDS orphans, rather than "Don't get Relaxers."

So I say if the relaxer works for you then, "You do you." If it's not working for you, and you want to try something new, then WONDERFUL, hit me up, I'll give you some tips:)

Natural Spotlight: Kendra

Occupation: Nurse, former Special Education Teacher

The embodiment of AFRO: Authentic Fearless Rambunctious Optimism

Authentic-Kendra was natural before it was a trend.

Fearless- She changed careers and didn't miss a beat. (from Special Education teacher to nurse)

Rambunctious-Kendra, a former travel nurse, seems to always be getting off of a plane. She has done missionary work in South America and the Caribbean.

Optimism-Kendra, who is currently working full time and going back to school for her B.S.N., sees things as they will be, not as they are.

Six Questions

How long have you been natural? Since 1996, I did it while I was in college.
Why did you decide to go natural? My hair just did not feel good; when I got perms it was thin and brittle
Explain your current style. I am currently wearing straw sets. I go every two weeks to the salon, and it takes about two hours.
What are your three favorite products? I use Carol's Daughter sometimes;I really have not found a favorite product.
How did you transition from relaxed to natural? I stopped getting perms and started wearing twist outs, and then I finally got it all cut off to a couple of inches.
Any tips you'd like to share? Do not let friends and family discourage you and if you think that you will lose a man for wearing your hair natural do not worry, there are plenty of men who love natural hair.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

My favorite hair products:

1. Pantene Relaxed and Natural Shampoo AND Conditioner--I love it! It makes my hair soft and manageable. It's basically the only shampoo/conditioner that I've used on my hair in the past 7 years.

2. Headbands/Scarves-They hide a multiplicity of SINS. They can make a bad hair day, good.

3. WATER-It is the BEST moisterizer. I use it on my hair just about everyday.

4. Blue Magic Hair Greese (even though it's green)

5. Let's Jam Hair Gel- This is my new favorite gel. It's really good for slicking your hair back and holding a style. (I also like Garnier Fructis Gel AND Precon Gel)

Please post your favorite hair products in the comments section.