Thursday, December 30, 2010

Gym..straightened natural...1st time

Sooooo...I think I'm going to try the gym today, well I just straightened my hair...ummmmm....I don't know how this is going to work. I have my cloth headbands to suck up the sweat and I have my hair pins to pin up my hair....I'll let you all know how this works for me.

Catch ya in an hour or so....

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Straightening my natural hair...

I met a little girl who asked me, how do you straighten your hair or do you always wear it curly like that (her face was all balled up and confused...lol...too cute)? I answered with a flat iron...I chose to save her the hassle of advising her of the real process.

The first time I straightened my tresses, it was cute and shortly after it was a curly fro. I learned my lesson and took heed to the advise I had received from a friend and use the products she advised me to use and well...You saw the pictures above.

After pre-pooing, shampooing, conditioning and detangling, I applied Mizani Thermasmooth Smooth Guard and blew my hair out using my awesome Yellow Bird. After blow drying, I applied EVOO to my dry hair and began to flat iron, but before I allowed the heat to touch my hair again I sprayed a pretty decent amount of TRESemme Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Spray, it worked no fro...although my left side didn't act right so I wrapped my hair around my head tied my scarf on it and went to bed.

The next morning....

Well my left side was still acting qwerky, so I grabbed the flat iron and went through my hair with larger chunks and flat ironed it again, needless to say, no frizz...I made it through the whole day with no puff. Not to mention, my hair is so soft and fluffy like...lol...I'm so in love with my natural hair, it works for me :-)

Until next time...Miss Naturally Curly :-)

Pre-poo...who poo?

So I love talking hair and well about anything that no one else around me knows nothing about especially when it sounds so wrong to those non-naturals...lol. Well a friend of mine and I were discussing pre-pooing, if you don't know what pre-pooing is, it's a process that I like to look at as a deep conditioning and moisturizing before shampooing. So back to the conversation, well we discussed pre-pooing and our different methods and the looks on people's faces was priceless.

We both tested our own separate pre-poo mixtures. (I'll have to ask her to comment and post her mixture) This is what my pre-poo concoction consisted of:

In an 8oz bottle:

Add EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
Mizani Moisturfuse Conditioner
Organics Shea Butter and Tea-Tree Moisturizer

I didn't measure my amounts but everything was add in that order I shook the bottle until I had a consistency that I liked, applied the entire bottle to my hair (my hair was dry...it needed moisture and needed it bad), placed a conditioning cap on for about an hour, shampooed and conditioned with Herbal Essence Hello Hydration.

I also detangled my hair with the conditioner still in so I wouldn't cause any breakage and to work the conditioner into my hair deeper.

RESULTS:

Soft and moisturized hair...my hair felt like the angels washed it for me. So Pre-pooing as crazy as it sounds works wonders on my hair especially now during the winter months. My friend her hair was super soft and manageable after she pre-pooed.

Until next time...

BC 5 months ago....

I STILL LOVE MY HAIR!!!!

Although I think my hair has been a tad upset with me. It's all dry...why???...because I have neglected my hair for school work. I made a promise to my mane that I would do better next semester. My hair has grown a little more and I decided to straighten it out and well...Let me know what you think.....



Monday, November 15, 2010

& a year after my last relaxer

I believe this Saturday or either last Saturday but I know it's this month, marks my one year since I had my very last relaxer and well...I still love it. I have not had one thought yet about relaxing my tresses...lol. I'm really enjoying my natural hair. I still get comments about it being nappy or not done, but hey it's my hair and I like it. The majority of my family has accepted my hair, the men well only one uncle has accepted all others even my daddy still prefer my hair to be straight. I have to deal with it, so the curls are staying.

I actually got to see it blown out and well my hair is growing. Thick and long and healthy...I'm so loving it. Yes my hair was healthy when I had a relaxer but it's so much thicker and I'm so in love with my curls.





Just wanted to update since I haven't posted in a while...until next time....

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

It's been forever.....

Hello.....

Well it has been like a while since I've updated my blog. I've been busy school is so consuming me...but I love it just the same. My hair well, my hair is growing out of control....I need to go into the shop for a trim and deep conditioner. You know nobody deep conditions better than a bomb.com stylist...lol..Love her!!!

So what have I been doing to my hair...nothing...lol..Wash n go or wet n go has been my salvation since classes have started. I love my trusty little spray bottle, I get up in the morning, spray my hair and I'm out of the door. I have found some other useful products that I will be posting about soon...hopefully.

I'm going to experiment with my hair next week and I will post the results.

Until then...loving my curls, have a blessed one!!!

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

I made it through my FIRST month




I did it!!!! I really did it!!! I didn't call my stylist and ask for the creamy crack, well I didn't think I would I went 8 months without it what's another month...but at any rate, I have completely and I mean completely fallen in love with my curls. Now don't get me wrong I have always loved my hair, whether it's short, long, relaxed, colored, in a ponytail whatever or however it was styled I loved it. I can honestly say I have fallen back in love with my hair again. I love it!!!! I really really do!!!!

My cousin popped my hand today and told me to stop touching my hair, my response-I CAN'T HELP IT!!! Well I really can't. I'm always touching my hair and feeling my curls because I don't think I believe I actually did it, I am NATURAL!!! I read a response today on curlynikki.com where a fellow blogger talked about her love affair with her hair, I could really relate. I'm in love and who would have thought I'd be in love with my hair, I mean really...lol.


In my first month, I haven't had many negative responses from family and friends. My Daddy and his oldest brother both told me my hair was nappy...lol...I laughed at them. My Daddy has never liked for me to cut my hair-EVER! He prefers long hair, not short and that's cool, I can respect that. I think he will just have to take some time and get used to my hair and my curls, not naps :-) My momy's (I spelled it right, that's how I spell it for her because she is so unique) response was PRICELESS I told her I was going to go ahead and cut it, I sent her a picture and we talked about it, but when I finally saw her the next day, she just stood in front of me looking stunned and said I didn't think it was going to look like that, but it's cute. Last week she wanted to put me on punishment because I asked her to braid it..lol. My funniest compliment came from some of my church fam, Jazz singer, was their response...lol..I love them (CORNERSTONE UHC for LIFE). I had more compliments than complaints in these last 30 days and I'm happy about that because boy does it help a lot when you are getting used to something new, when you have family and friends to support you.

I'm looking forward to my one year Nappyversary. I think my BC helped me not only cut off my relaxed ends but my inner inhibitions. I feel like a totally different person. My coworkers have told me recently that I'm looking different these days wearing different colors and jazzing up a bit. Well they better get used to it because this new found JOCEY is here to stay!!!


I combed out the front, my mom was about to braid my hair up...I had a little growth!!!

Close up of my curls!!!! I love them so much :-)


This is where it all started...DAY 1, fresh from the hairdresser and 8 months post relaxer!!!!





Until next time.....

(Top picture: Frohawk with a twist out)

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Men and "THEIR" Hair

I must admit, I'm a Facebook junky, I wake up in the morning and check statuses even if I don't change mine. I might wake up in the middle of the night and check a status, well it just so happens that as I do every morning, I was checking Facebook and came across a posting from a male friend of mines and it said something to the effect of "Thanking God ___________________ has done away with that "going natural" nonsense..." I clued in on the "going natural nonsense" why because I'm new to natural and love it. his post goes on to say that no man wants to see naps they want soft relaxed hair....I began to think and then commented. As my day progressed I asked several good men I know one question "How do you feel about natural hair?" Here are some of their comments.

"I think it's nice as long as the lady takes care of it and don't let it do it's own thing."

"If it's a good grain it's a go."

"I love natural hair"

"If your hair is fake I have to skate and that's all I have to say about that"

"That's what chics do when they can't afford to get their hair done.....Just clownin...it's okay on some chics...I don't really dig it though."

My favorite of all responses:

"I $%^&ING LOVE IT. THE NATURAL SMELL, IT DOESN'T ITCH OR IRRITATE ME WHEN I'M BEHIND YOU, NO CHEMICALS. PLUS I CAN PULL IT WHEN I NEED TO."

As you can see from the several post from these few men, it's almost a win-win situation. It's amazing to me how men in general put so much thought into their lady's hair as if they are rocking it themselves. When my man friend saw my hair, his reaction wasn't that he didn't like natural it was the fact I basically went full speed ahead and chopped it off. The last time he saw me it was long and when he saw me a few weeks later it was short and curly. I have gotten compliments from men on my new hair, who didn't really comment I had a relaxer and would get a cute cut and color.

I think the whole "beef" with natural is the way the woman rocks it and we, men and women, have been conditioned to look at hair to be beautiful only if it has a relaxer in it, not if it is naturally kinky or curly.

I say love "YOUR" hair men, your lady may be trying to show you another side of her, a more daring side. Sexy comes from within, not on top of the head. I know many have seen a not so sexy chic but her hair was fried, dyed and laid to the side. It's not about the hair it's about the confidence one exudes when rocking their hair.



Until next next time...

3 weeks after BC

It's been almost three weeks after my Big Chop and I'm still loving my natural and feeling that I don't ever want to go back to that creamy crack bka relaxer. I was asked by a friend of mine who is also transitioning what do I use for my hair. I posted this on Facebook yesterday but decided to add it to my blog today. Here it is, I hope anyone who is out there reading it helps you whether you are on a natural journey or just need good products for your hair.

I use a lot of different things depending on the look I want. I still wash and condition my hair with Mizani. When I do my twist outs, I use Kid Organics Shea Butter with Olive Oil Lotion and Mizani Rose H2O (I mix them together), if I do a wash/wet and go, I use Cantu Leave-in conditioner which has Shea butter and Shea Moisture curl enhancer, I'm not a huge oil sheen person but if I want a little shine I either use cantu shea butter oil sheen or I put my hot six in a spray bottle and sprya that through out my hair. Sometimes I use an olive oil moisturizer cream for my twist as well. I mainly use the kid organics and mizani bc I do more twists than wash and gos. I love the kiddie product because it helps me detangle my hair so much better and it's not real heavy

Monday, July 26, 2010

Before and during my transition



Week 1

Well it's been a week since my Big Chop and needless to say...I'm still loving my hair :-)

I posted on Facebook recently that havingg natural hair can be high maintenance and someone told me basically, I was crazy....WELL...I beg to differ. So I've tried many differnt ways to maintain my hair this week and well the best way for me is to twist my hair every night with a mix of Mizani H2O and Kids ORganics Shea Butter Lotion....Can we say AWESOME COMBINATION!! Yes I can!!!!


I think I'm figuring out my products. I'm excited, I don't have to waste 6 months of my life figuring it out. I think I realized too that just because it's a high price bottle doesn't mean it works for your hair. I figure it like this what can be better for my hair than something a child uses. Their hair is so fragile and well, so is mine. The mixture of the two products works well for me and it keeps my hair moisturized. My hair sucks up moisture and these products keeps me hydrated.

So needless to say I am loving, I mean loving this whole natural process and I can't wait until my hair grows out even more. Until next time...CIAO!!!!

Saturday, July 24, 2010

My Transition Friends :-)

Mizani: I love their products, until the no longer work for me, I'm holding on to them :-)



Yellow Bird....Bone straight blow out friend!!



My favorite of them all....GVP!!! Cheaper than a Chi and you get the same results, but mine are in hiding for a year or more :-(

In the beginning....

Hello!!! This is my first blog, I'm so excited :-)

I decided to blog after reading two blogs from two very inspiring ladies. One is about love and life, (thanks Kisha) and the other about natural hair transition (thanks Marge) and both made a lot of sense to me and pulled me in.

I recently made a huge change in my life, mainly my hair. I decided to go natural!! Yep I did the BIG CHOP on Tuesday morning (7/20/2010). I had my last relaxer in November 2009 and at that point I was getting a relaxer every three months, so when the three months came up I decided to go another three months and then the eighth month and the month of no return. I've read so many blogs about going natural because of unhealthy hair, well I had pretty healthy hair, thanks to my wonderful stylist, Ciera; she nursed my hair back to health in the last 2 to 3 years. I used to be the person who got a relaxer every 6-8 weeks, well at the time I didn't know any better but my hair was so unhealthy but looked BEAUTIFUL every time I stepped out of the shop.

So let's flash forward to February 2010, I went to the shop and I said no relaxer just wash, treatment and flat iron. I will admit, I HATE, I mean HATE sitting under the dryer, so when I went in to the shop I got my hair blown out and flat ironed. My stylist, oh did I mention she's one of my favorite cousins as well, knows me very well, I told her I wanted to go natural and I promise you she didn't believe me...I didn't believe myself. I loved the creamy hair drug...RELAXER!!

My Transition

During my transition phase, I almost abused my flat iron, I made a trip to Sally's one day and spent a little money on GVP flat iron and a Yellow Bird. This was the best purchase I think I ever made in my entire life. I used my flat iron maybe every other day and washed my hair once a week. I lived and still live by Mizani for my hair. I love the way it makes my hair feel when I wash it and the Rose H2O was and still is wonderful for my hair. I know many people don't like Mizani but I think I'll stick with what works for now and maybe later on I'll try something else. So yes I flat ironed my hair a lot, I decided to transition as the weather was changing and it was humid, here came my problem, my roots didn't like to stay flat for long, even when I went to te shop. I PRAYED FOR COOL DAYS!!! No I didn't have any damage or breakage from the almost constant flat ironing and blow drying I did to my hair. I made sure I went in and still had my ends trimmed and I had my treatments, which turned into one trim and one treatment because I kept with my relaxer schedule. Another reason I didn't have a lot of damage was because of my products, I used a good products.

My decision to do the BIG CHOP!

Okay so last friday 7/16, was my cousin's birthday and my best friend's birthday was 7/15, so it was decided we were going to go clubbing. Did I have a ball? Yes!! Did my hair? No :-/ I came out of the club looking like side show bob, yes I had swollen wavy hair and it was sitting up. I decided at that moment, although I began the begging process earlier that day, that it was time to get rid of the two different textures. It was a little hard to keep my roots straight and well I've never been a weave and braid person. I had a sew-in during my transition only because I went on vacation. Well it took me all weekend but Ciera broke and chopped my hair. I think my new growth surprised both of us. My stylist I think was a little more nervous than I was, I had boosted myself up to cut my hair, and may I remind you, I don't like to cut my hair unless I'm having a daring moment. Tuesday was my double dog dare day and when I looked at myself in the mirror, I LOVED WHAT I SAW!!! I was all natural!

My decision to "Crossover"

I decided to go natural because well I wanted to see my natural curls and texture. I hadn't seen my natural hair since oh maybe 3rd grade. That's a long time. I had long thick hair as a little girl and it tangled and did it's own thing. Well I guess I was a glutton for punishment, because I wanted that 3rd grade hair again. My mom was excited when she saw my hair blown out because she just knew her little girl was coming back...hahahahahaha her face was priceless when she saw my natural hair. Another reason I wanted to go natural was because of the versatility I could have in natural hair. I could wear it curly or straight and my hair would grow so much faster and would be just a little thicker.

So that's my choice and decision to go natural...I guess you are trying to figure out what my blog is all about huh?

Well it's not about my natural hair process by itsself, but it is about my journey, my journey that I am about to take. I decided before I cut my hair that I was going to change my outlook on a lot of aspects in my life. So the title of my blog Naturally Jocey, the name comes from my hair but it's about me the natural me, the no holds Jocey!!!

Now it's time for bed ZUMBA in the morning!!! I'll update you in the morning and let you know how my hair turns out, I used a kiddie product instead of my Mizani Rose H2O to twist my hair tonight...so until tomorrow....Ciao!!!