Got another blog post coming up for you later today, so keep checking back. Have a good one!
Natural Hair Calendars: December
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Got another blog post coming up for you later today, so keep checking back. Have a good one!
Kinky Hair 101: Weaves as a protective style
Monday, December 3, 2012
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| Zainab Ashadu, handbag designer extraordinaire and Kinky Apothecary customer |
With the festive season quickly approaching and people wanting to change up their look, a number of ladies are probably considering weaves. Now just because I've never had one, people assume I am totally anti-weaves. This is not 100% correct. While I would never choose to have one myself, I understand the attraction with playing around with your look, and weaves can be a fun, non-permanent way to do this. Also when done correctly, they CAN act as a way to give your hair a rest, and can be a great protective style.
I do, however, think it is a shame when people are constantly in weaves - one comes out and the next one goes straight back in, and they never show off their own beautiful head of hair (or never allow their hair to flourish, breathe and BECOME beautiful). I also find it worrying when people are so used to their weaves they almost start to believe it is a part of them, but I'm a firm believer in people making whatever choices they think are right for them, so if anyone feels they need to wear weaves constantly and won't be told otherwise, I won't give unsolicited advice (and at the same time, I thank such people for not giving ME unsolicited advice to "do something" to my hair... but I digress).
What I AM anti, however, is when people sacrifice their hair for the sake of their weave, leading to such hair loss as has been illustrated in recent pictures of the likes of Serena Williams and Naomi Campbell (particularly in this shocking article. Yes people, I have actually used the Daily Mail as a reference point. I apologize)
Braiding too tightly, not maintaining your hair and scalp while the weave is in, not taking care when removing it, keeping it in too long and going from weave to weave to weave without a break, can all cause permanent damage to your follicles.
I like to give tips based on personal experience, but since I'm unable to do so this time, I called on the help of Kinky Apothecary customer Zainab Ashadu, designer of Zashadu bags, who is natural, but enjoys switching things up with weaves once in a while.
Zainab says:
I wear weaves because I get sooooo IMPATIENT with the time it
takes to put braids in.
When deciding on what weave to wear, I tend to choose textures
that are similar to mine, that way I can braid a portion of the front and
sides, to blend in with the rest, resulting in a more natural look than if I
had a fully closed weave. Fully closed weaves look better, in my opinion in you
have a fringe, but more on that later.
I instruct the stylist to weave my hair underneath horizontally
instead of vertically. The preference for most stylists to weave hair
vertically, is because it results in a flatter look, but with a massive curly
weave, who cares about flatness?! Then the tracks are affixed to each
individual plait, leaving the scalp free, and the braided hair easily
accessible. The front and sides are braided anyway, so I have access to hair
and scalp and can scratch to my heart's delight! For the braided front, I don't
just do "pick and drop" (braiding a little and leaving the rest), I plait the entire length of my hair, quite small, but I
never knot it, because of the tension and stress this will cause to the hair.
Besides, the curly texture keeps it from unravelling too much.
When I am adamant that I must look like Nefertiti, I understand
the need for a flatter look and get creative with the stylists. I weave from
the back up until just before my ears, in the horizontal way I mentioned. Now,
because the weave will be fully closed, more or less in the spot right in the
middle of the distance between one ear to the next (hope I am making sense), it
cannot afford to look bulky. So, they weave from the front to this middle
point, in a vertical way, so that all I have to do is put my fringe in a
bulldog clip, to have access to the hair in front, although with somewhat less
ease than to the hair at the back.
When I am washing the curly hair, I put the hair in
big-braids-for-washing, just as I would do my own hair, and deep condition etc
just like normal.
For the straighter, Nefertiti "Oyinbo" hair, I just comb and wash
because the silky hair doesn't stay in braids!
Then I moisturise, seal etc just as I would normally, trying
hard to avoid my scalp, unless I mean to nourish it with oils, specially.
Other important factors to take into account:
Do not weave already damaged hair
The usual healthy hair steps should be taken when preparing for your weave. You hair should be adequately moisturised after following a good deep conditioning regimen in the time leading up to your weave. I would certainly not advise weaving dry or breaking hair. If you can, avoid heat in preparation, stretching your hair out in other ways like braiding or banding.
Do not braid too tight
When your hair is being braided in preparation for your weave, please ensure it is not braided too tightly as this is a surefire way to lose hair. NO hairstyle should ever cause pain. That tight feeling that we have all been accustomed to from childhood signals damage and hair loss. Do not accept it!
The weight of the hair used
Do not braid too tight
When your hair is being braided in preparation for your weave, please ensure it is not braided too tightly as this is a surefire way to lose hair. NO hairstyle should ever cause pain. That tight feeling that we have all been accustomed to from childhood signals damage and hair loss. Do not accept it!
The weight of the hair used
Ensure that you are not using wefts of hair that are too heavy for your hair. Just like braided hair should never feel too tight, you should never feel like your weave is pulling on your hair in any way, as this can lead to unnecessary hair loss.
Reactions to a particular type of hair
If a particular brand or type of hair causes you to break out, please have it removed. Break-outs on the scalp or the weft rubbing against the skin can lead to scabs and eventual scarring which could mean permanent damage to your follicles (put simply: no more hair growth in those spots). If you ever had a reaction to a particular kind of hair, avoid using it again.
A quick word on stylists
As with everything else (and I'll do a full post on this) if you feel your stylist doesn't know what he or she is doing, and doesn't listen to your requests, I would suggest looking for someone else to do your weaves. It is not worth the possible long-term damage to your precious locks!
Ventilation to the scalp
Zainab has explained how she gets her weaves done in such a way that she has easy access to her scalp. This is very important as lack of air circulation can create a damp atmosphere which can be a breeding ground for mould and bacteria. If you feel you are not getting enough air to the scalp, the application of antibacterial oils, such as Tea Tree or Peppermint essential oils (diluted in a carrier oil such as Jojoba), is a good way of preventing or counteracting the growth of bacteria and mould.
Maintenance of the actual weave
As I believe I may have mentioned in earlier protective styling posts, a protective style needs to be in long enough. There is no point in going through the rigmarole of putting in a weave, if it is meant as a protective style, if you're going to have to stress your hair taking it out again before you've had the benefit of the protective style. Taking care of the weave means you'll be able to keep it in and looking fresh for as long as it should be in for.
Pay attention to the care instructions of the hair you use, especially if you are using synthetic hair (which might not be able to withstand heat, etc.
Look after your weave as if it was growing out of your hair, which means washing frequently, moisturising, and wrapping it with a silk or satin scarf or bonnet before bed. Weaves will also dry out if not maintained properly, particularly if you have used human hair.
Take care with combing and detangling, and also ensure you are not pulling too tight when putting your weave in an updo, as the tension on your actual hair can lead to breakage. Careful detangling also reduces the amount of shedding of the weave, meaning it will last longer.
If you're having trouble with persistently thinning edges...
Stop getting weaves put in. I repeat. STOP GETTING WEAVES PUT IN!! I have lost count of the number of people who have written in saying they are suffering significant hair loss from weaves, but they want to continue to do them. There are other things you can do if you feel you need to hide your hair until it is at a stage where you are comfortable enough to wear it out, wigs being one of them. But stop subjecting your hair to the tension of weaving, it clearly is unable to take it.
Finally, note that even taking all possible precautions with your hair when you wear weaves, constant weaving WILL lead to long-term/permanent damage eventually, so if you do care about the health of your hair, please give them a rest once in a while.
Additionally, as with other protective styles, I would say 6-8 weeks should be the absolute maximum you keep your weave in.
Hope this helps, and if you have any specific questions for Zainab, please feel free to drop them in the comments and I'll pass them on to her.
Reactions to a particular type of hair
If a particular brand or type of hair causes you to break out, please have it removed. Break-outs on the scalp or the weft rubbing against the skin can lead to scabs and eventual scarring which could mean permanent damage to your follicles (put simply: no more hair growth in those spots). If you ever had a reaction to a particular kind of hair, avoid using it again.
A quick word on stylists
As with everything else (and I'll do a full post on this) if you feel your stylist doesn't know what he or she is doing, and doesn't listen to your requests, I would suggest looking for someone else to do your weaves. It is not worth the possible long-term damage to your precious locks!
Ventilation to the scalp
Zainab has explained how she gets her weaves done in such a way that she has easy access to her scalp. This is very important as lack of air circulation can create a damp atmosphere which can be a breeding ground for mould and bacteria. If you feel you are not getting enough air to the scalp, the application of antibacterial oils, such as Tea Tree or Peppermint essential oils (diluted in a carrier oil such as Jojoba), is a good way of preventing or counteracting the growth of bacteria and mould.
Maintenance of the actual weave
As I believe I may have mentioned in earlier protective styling posts, a protective style needs to be in long enough. There is no point in going through the rigmarole of putting in a weave, if it is meant as a protective style, if you're going to have to stress your hair taking it out again before you've had the benefit of the protective style. Taking care of the weave means you'll be able to keep it in and looking fresh for as long as it should be in for.
Pay attention to the care instructions of the hair you use, especially if you are using synthetic hair (which might not be able to withstand heat, etc.
Look after your weave as if it was growing out of your hair, which means washing frequently, moisturising, and wrapping it with a silk or satin scarf or bonnet before bed. Weaves will also dry out if not maintained properly, particularly if you have used human hair.
Take care with combing and detangling, and also ensure you are not pulling too tight when putting your weave in an updo, as the tension on your actual hair can lead to breakage. Careful detangling also reduces the amount of shedding of the weave, meaning it will last longer.
If you're having trouble with persistently thinning edges...
Stop getting weaves put in. I repeat. STOP GETTING WEAVES PUT IN!! I have lost count of the number of people who have written in saying they are suffering significant hair loss from weaves, but they want to continue to do them. There are other things you can do if you feel you need to hide your hair until it is at a stage where you are comfortable enough to wear it out, wigs being one of them. But stop subjecting your hair to the tension of weaving, it clearly is unable to take it.
Finally, note that even taking all possible precautions with your hair when you wear weaves, constant weaving WILL lead to long-term/permanent damage eventually, so if you do care about the health of your hair, please give them a rest once in a while.
Additionally, as with other protective styles, I would say 6-8 weeks should be the absolute maximum you keep your weave in.
Hope this helps, and if you have any specific questions for Zainab, please feel free to drop them in the comments and I'll pass them on to her.
Check out my holiday gift selection in the Essence Magazine Ultimate Gift Guide!
Friday, November 30, 2012
Do you ever wonder what a good gift would be to give a fellow Naturalista for Christmas? Or perhaps you just want to treat yourself?
I was SO excited to have been asked to take part in this Essence.com feature talking about my top natural hair gift picks, alongside a number of my favourite bloggers including our very own Geri (yes, I'm claiming her now! She's "ours"!!!)
The good news for readers in Nigeria? A number of the items I chose, and some chosen by the other bloggers, will be available on the Kinky Apothecary shelves in time for Christmas, and the rest will follow soon after. Hurray!
So take a look through the gallery and start compiling your wishlist. There are some awesome suggestions on there.
(Photo was taken by my dear friend Trey Mujakporue. Check out some of his work here)
Kinky Hair 101: Travelling with natural hair
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Hey guys. I'm still trying to get over the fact that we are almost at the end of November, and in the blink of an eye, 2012 will be over. Here's wishing everyone a happy and productive last few weeks of the year!
With all that's been going on, and not really having an opportunity to post much, I haven't totally forgotten that this is meant to be an informative blog and it has been a while since you've had a “Kinky Hair 101” post. I have a few drafted up, and figured now is as good a time as any to get them tidied up and on the blog.
Before I launch into anything very detailed, I thought I would start with this very quick one since I recently got asked a question about it, and it's also quite relevant to my current situation. I've mentioned I spend a lot of time on planes due to the work I do, and have been doing so more than usual recently. So I thought it would let you in on my natural hair travel trips.
1/ As I discovered the hard way, dry cabin air can leave your tresses feeling like wire wool, particularly after a long-haul flight. To counteract this, I normally try and squeeze in a deep conditioning session a day or 2 before I'm due to hop on a plane. I also try and schedule it so my hair will be mostly dry before the flight, as I hate flying with wet hair.
With all that's been going on, and not really having an opportunity to post much, I haven't totally forgotten that this is meant to be an informative blog and it has been a while since you've had a “Kinky Hair 101” post. I have a few drafted up, and figured now is as good a time as any to get them tidied up and on the blog.
Before I launch into anything very detailed, I thought I would start with this very quick one since I recently got asked a question about it, and it's also quite relevant to my current situation. I've mentioned I spend a lot of time on planes due to the work I do, and have been doing so more than usual recently. So I thought it would let you in on my natural hair travel trips.
1/ As I discovered the hard way, dry cabin air can leave your tresses feeling like wire wool, particularly after a long-haul flight. To counteract this, I normally try and squeeze in a deep conditioning session a day or 2 before I'm due to hop on a plane. I also try and schedule it so my hair will be mostly dry before the flight, as I hate flying with wet hair.
2/ For the same reason, I never, ever travel with loose hair. For me, the ideal is to travel in twists that I plan to keep in for the duration of the trip, chunky twists that I can twist-out when I land, or if my hair was already in an "out" style before the trip because I didn't have time for a wash/DC session, I make sure to moisturise profusely, seal the tips adequately, and tuck away in a bun or similar updo. I tend to accessorise all of the above with a silk or satin scarf (also prevents your hair rubbing against the plane seat when you sleep). The first and last time I flew with a loose twist-out, I vowed never to do it again: my hair was embarrassingly brittle for days afterwards.
3/ I try and prevent having to spend too much (or in fact, any) time doing my hair while I'm on a trip, so I try and pick low-maintenance or transitional styles. Twists for the duration of the trip are ideal, as I mentioned. Transitional styles such as twists for the first couple of days, followed by a twistout, and then a bun or updo for the last few days and journey back are also a good option. If I'm going on a short trip, I try and avoid things like braid-outs, where I'd need to spend time every night re-braiding to re-set the curl definition, or wash and go's (a rarity for me anyway) where I'd have to rewash or rewet my hair often.
4/ I don't like lugging an arsenal of products as I like to keep my luggage quite light. So I tend to select products that can serve multiple functions so I can get away with packing 1 bottle in place of 3 or 4. I find the Elucence Moisture Balancing Conditioner works well as I can use it as a daily moisturiser, but if I ever find myself having to wash my hair, it also works well as a cowash and as a rinse out conditioner (similar multi-purpose conditioners are ones like the Giovanni Smooth As Silk, and Tresemme Naturals, and I decant whatever conditioner I choose into smaller bottles before I travel). I also always take an oil that can be used as a sealant AND a scalp oil, so I don't have to pack both separately. My travel oil of choice tends to be Castor.
So there you have it. Short and sweet, but absolutely essential for me if I don't want to spend several days afterwards trying to get the moisture back into my hair and knots out of it.
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| A typical travel style for me |
4/ I don't like lugging an arsenal of products as I like to keep my luggage quite light. So I tend to select products that can serve multiple functions so I can get away with packing 1 bottle in place of 3 or 4. I find the Elucence Moisture Balancing Conditioner works well as I can use it as a daily moisturiser, but if I ever find myself having to wash my hair, it also works well as a cowash and as a rinse out conditioner (similar multi-purpose conditioners are ones like the Giovanni Smooth As Silk, and Tresemme Naturals, and I decant whatever conditioner I choose into smaller bottles before I travel). I also always take an oil that can be used as a sealant AND a scalp oil, so I don't have to pack both separately. My travel oil of choice tends to be Castor.
So there you have it. Short and sweet, but absolutely essential for me if I don't want to spend several days afterwards trying to get the moisture back into my hair and knots out of it.
Natural Hair in the Nigerian Diaspora...Ronke
Monday, November 26, 2012
Hi all,
Hope everyone had a fab weekend and is ready for a productive week ahead. This week's Nigerian Naturalista is Londoner Ronke Lawal, Founder of RSL
Management Services, a marketing and PR agency based in London. When I first set up The Kinky Apothecary 2 1/2 years ago, I was featured on BGLH, and through that was contacted by a number of people, Ronke being one of them. She's one of the few I've remained Facebook friends with, although we still haven't gotten round to meeting up in person yet. We must rectify that soon!
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| Photo courtesy of subject |
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| Photo courtesy of subject |
I've been natural for roughly 12-13 years. Relaxer was never really my friend. The breakage used to be ridiculous and to be honest it just never suited me. There were a few occasions when I'd relax my hair and it would be like "wow so lovely and glamorous" especially after a good retouch but after the first week or so it was just silly. Plus even though relaxer was supposed to be the main-stay as a lady in our household, actually taking care of it in terms of a healthy routine was not something really discussed. We could never afford to go to the really good hairdressers either so to be honest it was inevitable that my hair would not be happy with the chemicals. It was interesting to see/hear the reactions from friends and family though who were waiting for me to relax it again....they are still waiting. It's so bizarre given that it's hair that grows out of our heads, and surely we should all decide how we wish to style or wear it. I suppose culturally that is something we need to get over: full acceptance of the full scope of our hair's capabilities no matter how one chooses to style it.
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| Photo courtesy of subject |
My hair and my job
For the past 3 years I have been the CEO of the Islington Chamber of Commerce which was extremely demanding. I have had to attend a high number of meetings and public facing forums and was quite often the only black woman there. I would change my hair style a lot so it got to a point where people would ask silly and quite frankly awkward questions. Wearing my afro out would probably get less comments than my weaves, though the afro-kinky twists may have had a few concerned that I had become a "rasta". You must bear in mind that even though this is 2012 the English establishment is not as diverse as one would hope. I tend to wear styles that I do not have to concern myself too much with though, as I am often too busy to take care of my hair and do not wish to be defined by it. As long as it looks good then I'm good!
For the past 3 years I have been the CEO of the Islington Chamber of Commerce which was extremely demanding. I have had to attend a high number of meetings and public facing forums and was quite often the only black woman there. I would change my hair style a lot so it got to a point where people would ask silly and quite frankly awkward questions. Wearing my afro out would probably get less comments than my weaves, though the afro-kinky twists may have had a few concerned that I had become a "rasta". You must bear in mind that even though this is 2012 the English establishment is not as diverse as one would hope. I tend to wear styles that I do not have to concern myself too much with though, as I am often too busy to take care of my hair and do not wish to be defined by it. As long as it looks good then I'm good!
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| Photo courtesy of subject |
My experience of being natural in
Nigeria?
I've been to Nigeria since I went natural, but I had a protective style of cornrows for 2 reasons: firstly I'm exceptionally lazy when it comes to my hair and did not want the stress (plus I wanted to get it done in Nigeria - some of the best braid stylists in the world) and secondly because I was going with my mother and she was panicking that I would rock up to Lagos with an afro like an "unkempt heathen". Quite bizarre but that's Nigerian mothers for you!
Challenges encountered since going natural
When it comes to hair styling I am pretty lazy, I love rocking new styles but to be honest I just do not have the patience so this has been a great challenge to me. Which means more often than not I will rock a protective style or a weave particularly as I can be so busy with work and business.
I've been to Nigeria since I went natural, but I had a protective style of cornrows for 2 reasons: firstly I'm exceptionally lazy when it comes to my hair and did not want the stress (plus I wanted to get it done in Nigeria - some of the best braid stylists in the world) and secondly because I was going with my mother and she was panicking that I would rock up to Lagos with an afro like an "unkempt heathen". Quite bizarre but that's Nigerian mothers for you!
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| Photo courtesy of subject |
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| Photo courtesy of subject |
Challenges encountered since going natural
When it comes to hair styling I am pretty lazy, I love rocking new styles but to be honest I just do not have the patience so this has been a great challenge to me. Which means more often than not I will rock a protective style or a weave particularly as I can be so busy with work and business.
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| Photo courtesy of subject |
I tend to leave my hair out for about a month between weave or protective styles now (for about 2 years though that was not the case: I'll be honest, I let work take over so was weaving it up all the time). I wash and condition and use good shea butter based products. I have also discovered the benefits of using pure oils like Coconut oil and castor oil. I plan on getting a steamer too when I can, as I know how important that is to hair health. I am more concerned with my hair health than its growth at present, so anything I can do to maintain its health is paramount.
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| Photo courtesy of subject |
EEEEKKK! I'm never very comfortable with the term "Idol" - purely because one has to gain full self-acceptance and inner peace with one's own beauty before looking towards others. I do admire those people who have maintained their integrity in the public eye though, figures like India Arie, Janelle Monae etc. I would love to pinpoint more corporate, public-facing executives who embrace their natural hair or at least go against the status quo in some way. Susan Taylor, former editor of Essence Magazine is one such example. Interestingly enough she recently gave a speech where she commented that people often ask her why she doesn't change her hair style more, to which she stated that she is more than simply her hairstyle, that her work and her passions go beyond this. I love that!
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| Photo courtesy of subject |
Thanks a lot for giving us your views, Ronke.
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