The Ladies of Reggae: All Natural

Black Girl with Long Hair Naturals Meetup- July 2011

2011-07-25T13:42:00.005-05:00

This event was sponsored by Miss Jessie's and the Chicago natural community came out in droves to attend. We waited in line about 45 minutes before getting in, and the line still stretched from 47th to 46th street. Once inside, the vendors were great and we somehow managed to get into the gift-bag line as it was just beginning to form, and we each came away with a precious jar of Miss Jessie's!

Mini twists galore!

2011-04-14T21:16:00.005-05:00

For the past few weeks, I have been all about mini-twists! Easiest style I've had-- simple, cute and diverse.

Set on flexirods

French braid with feathers

Tucked & pinned

French braid with a flower

One year down!

2011-04-13T19:17:00.005-05:00

April 2nd was my Nappiversary & I was featured on Newly Natural as a "Yearling"!

Visit the site and check out my hair growth over the course of a year!

Evanston-based natural hair company on NBC Chicago

2011-03-17T23:07:00.002-05:00

When I first chopped my hair, Ashley Lauren's aloe-jojoba leave-in was one of my favorite staple products. It was nice to see that NBC did a short profile piece on the store.

View more videos at: http://www.nbcchicago.com.

So I love Kinky Curly even more.... it gave me 5-day hair!

2011-03-17T20:31:00.004-05:00

For a while, I've been using Kinky Curly Knot Today as my leave-in of choice.

It detangles well, smells good, and leaves my hair feeling nice and prepped for my usual twist-outs.

After a few so-so attempts at using the Hair Rules Curling Cream, I gave up on trying to replicate the fabulous results I got at the salon. :-p

This weekend, a trip to Target led me to pick up a jar of Kinky Curly Curling Custard.

I LOVE IT! I washed my hair with Shea Moisture Black Soap as usual, then used the Knot Today leave-in, and raked the KCCC through my hair, touching up some of the more visible areas with a denman brush.

Here's how it looked the day of application:

The next day I spritzed with warm water to refresh the curls and it looked like this. Curls were still defined but this style was a little much for work so I ended up pulling it back with a headband.

Day 3, I re-spritzed with warm water, touched up any fuzzy areas with the Denman brush, and wore it as a puff with bangs.

Day 4, same style

Day 5- same process, same style, minus the bangs

I think I've found my newest holy grail hair product! Thank you Kinky-Curly!

I heart Hair Rules New York: review

2011-02-27T10:14:00.016-06:00

This week I was in New York for a business trip, and happened to have a free morning on Friday. I always toy with the idea of making an appointment at one of the salons specializing in natural hair when I'm in town, but they book up so far in advance, and I often don't know what my schedule will look like when I'm traveling for work, so it hadn't happened yet.

On a whim, I called Hair Rules, celebrity stylist Anthony Dickey's salon, and to my surprise, they had an opening for me to get highlights and a style Friday morning!

I arrived at 9:30 am and met my colorist, Nile. I shared my inspiration pics with her and she spent a good amount of time assessing my hair texture and talk about exactly what type of results I wanted. I appreciated that she took the time to explain everything.

After the coloring process, an assistant washed my hair with the cleansing cream, which left my hair soft. And followed that with conditioner (rinsed out) and then the kinky curling cream. The stylist used lots of it, but only used her fingers to distribute it throughout my hair. She then had me bend forward, and fingercombed it through the underside of my hair as well. I could see the perfectly-formed curls dangling in front of me. To style, she had me shake my head side to side, and then fling it backwards. (That's it?!) And she shaped it around my face, and sat me under the hood dryer to let it set.

Check out this tutorial.

The results? I love it!

The close-up.

I very RARELY wear wash & go's because they shrink up so much, so this was a revelation to me. It was amazing to have perfectly coiffed hair with a fraction of the work.

The true test: the pouring rain and high humidity. My hair DID NOT FRIZZ! I could hardly believe my eyes.

The only drawback to the Hair Rules products I've seen so far is that although the curls still look fab (3rd day after styling), I feel like it's time to re-wash because my hair is a little dry. They did say to wash every 3 days or so instead of once a week, so that will probably be the cure.

But I still plan on buying a set of the kinky products (they have a special right now on their site) so that I can start to wear amazing wash & gos!

UPDATE:

I bought the Hair Rules kinky curling cream to try at home... Several attempts later, I still can't replicate the results of the salon... and I've used about half the bottle already... I think I'm throwing in the towel on this one. At least for now.

Home results: some definition, a bunch of frizz, and a lot of shrinkage.

I still LOVE the salon though!

Studio Shots

2011-02-20T22:51:00.007-06:00

Featured Lady: Etana

2011-01-09T21:07:00.003-06:00

This is a natural Lady of Reggae you should know.... one of our favorite artists is the lovely Etana!

She has a beautiful, soulful voice, and songs with a message.

Etana's new album: Free Expressions, is due out in February.

Give her a listen!

These are our all-time favorite Etana tracks:

Heartbroken
Wrong Address
Roots
Warrior Love
Happy Heart

And of course, check our her beautiful natural styles.

Check her out!

www.vprecords.com/etana

Big Hair, Don't Care

2010-12-28T00:30:00.002-06:00

The current state of my fro

Ladies Choice: I Love My Hair prints

2010-12-13T22:14:00.004-06:00

I saw these prints on one of my favorite blogs, Fly today and my heart melted a little bit.

How cute & creative! I love these girls!

Source

If I had a little girl, these would be hanging in her room for sure.

You can purchase them here. And while you're at it, check out FLY!

To trim, or not to trim?

2010-12-10T09:01:00.003-06:00

This is a question I struggle with from time to time. I read on lots of blogs that you need to regularly trim your hair to get rid of dry, split ends. I used to do this when my hair was relaxed, but now that I never wear my hair straight, I haven't bothered....

The last time I felt that my ends might be in need, I went to Ashley Lauren, a local natural hair shop, and Georgia used a magnifier to broadcast my hair on a TV screen- we looked at the ends, all over my head, and there were NO splits! So I left it around.

Am I the only one who hasn't trimmed their natural hair?

Natural Hair Compliment: Corrine Bailey Rae

2010-11-28T22:38:00.003-06:00

Corinne Bailey Rae

Since cutting off my long, straight hair in April, I've gotten more feedback on my hair than I have in my entire life. I was bracing for the worst, but it has been overwhelmingly positive.

A couple weeks ago, my husband and I were in Wrigleyville during the Northwestern vs. Illinois football game, and as I stood in the tailgate wearing a big twist-out stuffed into my grey knit cap, with curly bangs sticking out to the side, a passer-by stopped and said hi to me.

"I like your glasses."
Thanks.
"You are so cute. You remind me of Corrine Bailey Rae."
Thank you.
"Do you know who she is?"
(laughing) Yes, I do. :-)

Know her? I love her--Corrine Bailey Rae is one of my hair idols! Her hair is huge and gorgeous!

Check out her cute self and listen to her amazing music! (photos from corinnebaileyrae.net)

Winter Hair

2010-11-21T19:59:00.004-06:00

It's almost December and I've been preparing for my first winter fully natural. The cold air and forced heat indoors have both started to make my hair more dry than usual so here are a few products, styles, and techniques I've implemented to make it through the winter.

Protective Styles

Two-strand twists with a hat

Picked up this cute beret at Discovery for about $7.

This wrap was inspired by a tutorial by the beautiful Moptop Maven: Scarf Tutorial

Dry re-twisting

All summer, I'd been spritzing each section of my hair down with water before retwisting at bedtime. Now that it's cold, I've start retwisting without using the spray-brush-twist steps. The Curls Creme Brulee cream is really good for dry retwisting & makes my hair look great the next day.

This is 3rd day hair using the dry retwist method.

I've also started using Kinky Curly Knot Today conditioner as my leave-in, and still use the unscented Koils By Nature hair/body butter for moisture.

What are you doing for winter hair?

Ladies Choice: The Afro Puff

2010-11-06T08:04:00.004-05:00

I've been coming back to the lovely afro puff and all of its variations lately. It's great for those slightly frizzy days!

I usually use Ashley Lauren leave-in conditioner or Blended Beauty to smooth my edges.

Here are a few of my recent puff styles:

Puff with twist-out bangs

Big Puff

Lush

Natural hair on Halloween

2010-10-31T21:22:00.002-05:00

I went to a costume party as a black swan, and wore this twist-out with a feathered headband.

Ladies of Reggae: In-studio with Schmid

2010-10-16T23:43:00.000-05:00

Tonight we were joined by Caribbean fitness trainer Schmid Etienne, who answered questions about health and fitness for our listeners. Great advice on how to eat healthy without sacrificing the foods you love, the optimal amount of time to devote to the gym, how to work out at home when the weather gets cold, and more.

Ladies of Reggae: Black Girl with Long Hair Chicago Meetup

2010-10-16T12:16:00.007-05:00

Ooookk..... so I've been slacking! Got to get back to this blog!

At the beginning of the month, I made my way to the Black Girl with Long Hair Chicago Meetup. Great turnout! It was nice to see such a huge thriving natural community here in Chicago.

Great job Leila!

I spent a lot of time visiting the great product swap. I brought in some Giovanni conditioner and Lush shampoo, and left with a full bottle of Curls Creme Brulee and some hair butter from Peace, Love and Sunshine!

I also picked up a Brown Skin Lady and Black is Beautiful shirt from Shari at Bon Bon Vie.

She's a great local designer-- Check her out!

Chicago blogger Vonnie of Socialite Dreams got some great shots of the event. You can see them here: Socialite Dreams

Brazilian Blowout Warning

2010-10-02T11:02:00.003-05:00

Check out this article on ABC, talking about the possible effects, including eye irritation, nosebleeds, and difficulty breathing.

Brazilian Blowout Hair Straightening Product Under Fire

Curlformers + soft bonnet dryer= happiness!

2010-09-19T22:28:00.004-05:00

I gave the Curlformers another try on Friday, setting my hair under my new soft bonnet dryer attachment. Friday night I twisted my hair dry, and added flexi-rods.

And here are the results: huge and soft curls! (These photos were taken Saturday night)

Ladies Choice: Conair Pro Soft Bonnet Attachment

2010-09-17T15:31:00.004-05:00

Oh Conair Pro Soft Bonnet, where have you been all my life?!

This spacey-looking contraption is a dream. It connects to your ordinary hair dryer, and converts it into a salon-style bonnet dryer, without taking up precious space in your home.

The best part: it's just $9.99! I had the day off today and picked one up at Sally's Beauty Supply, so I could set my hair on curlformers, and let the bonnet do its work while I relaxed and read a few books. Perfection. I no longer have to sleep in uncomfortable rollers overnight to get a nice roller set. Joy!

Natural LADY of the Week: Stephelise

2010-09-15T21:05:00.002-05:00

This week, I'd like to introduce you to the beautiful Stephelise-- we did our BC just weeks apart. Thanks for being a fotki companion on this journey!

When and why did you go natural?

I transitioned from relaxed to natural for 13 mths and I did my Big Chop on April 22, 2010. I decided to go natural because I was tired of getting relaxers. I was increasingly becoming bored with the same look all the time and I hated that my hair looked so thin after a fresh relaxer. By going natural I was able to take control of my hair health and be free from being dependent on a chemical to make my hair look a certain way.

What is your current regimen?

I normally wash/cowash my hair at least once a week sometimes 2x depending on buildup. I make sure I DC (deep condition) at least once a week. I also try to keep some type of protein in my regimen because my fine strands require it. I apply my leave in either a creamy or liquid form, moisturize with curl activator lotion such as Carefree Curl Gold, use a shea butter mixture and then seal with an oil like castor oil.

What are the 3 products you can't do without?

Well certainly water for starters. I also need my castor oil if I had to choose one and then some gel. I think I could make it if I had to with just these items.

What is your natural hair goal?

I have a bunch of short term goals or milestones as I call it. One is for me to be able to pull all my hair into a ponytail. I then want to be able to have a huge curly puff. Next, I want to be able to put it in a decent sized bun. And lastly, I want my hair to be bsb (below shoulder blade) length unstretched.

Anything you'd like to add? Inspiration for transitioners or those considering going natural?

I would say that if you are not interested in doing a BC, then transitioning is definitely the way to go. For me this was crucial in helping me to get used to manipulating and styling my own hair.

It also helps you to find out what your hair likes and dislikes as far as products. As with anything, make sure you do your research by way of hair boards, YouTube, fotki and/or Facebook. There is a wealth of knowledge out there to help you along your journey. Importantly, use your transition time to have fun by experimenting with different styles. It comes in handy when you finally do BC.

Would you like to be featured? E-mail us at ladiesofreggae@hotmail.com!

Chicago Naturals Meetup: 9 October!

2010-09-12T22:09:00.000-05:00

Labor Day 2010 in New York

2010-09-11T08:22:00.001-05:00

Photo essay of my visit to New York for Labor Day 2010: J'ouvert night and the Caribbean Labor Day parade

some photos courtesy EAC

Twistout... and Ziggy

2010-08-29T21:29:00.005-05:00

This week, my worlds collided (in a good way!), when I got to travel to LA for a charity PSA shoot with Ziggy Marley. My day job at a nonprofit and my side gig as a reggae radio DJ came together for one of the best business trips ever.

Scenes from Venice Beach

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Hot Buttered Curls!

2010-08-18T22:28:00.004-05:00

I was so happy to get this package in the mail today! Yup, I ordered the Hot Buttered Curls "Curly Cocktails" from Naturally Curly.

The contents were slightly different from what's listed on the website. My package came with:

Kinky Curly Knot Today

Blended Beauty Curl Styling Butter

Tucuma Butter Moisture Whip

Aubrey Organics Jojoba Oil

Oyin Handmade's Frank Juice

The package also included a shower detangling comb, two samples of Phyospecific-- the Intense Nutrition Shampoo and the Intense Nutrition Mask; and a sample of Curls Quenched Curls Serum.

I'm so excited to try out these products I've heard so much about! Reviews to come....

Wash & Go and Garnier Fructis Curl & Shine

2010-08-15T20:56:00.006-05:00

Today I got to try my new Garnier Fructis Curl & Shine conditioner. Loved the scent, and when I combed through it in the shower, it had more slip than I expected. Added a little Suave Almond & Shea Butter conditioner to leave in (still my favorite!).

Today was another humid August day so I decided to go for a wash & go, pulled back with two combs. I had lots of shrinkage on this style.

The conditioner + Denman brush gave me good curl definition except for the crown, which is always a little more frizzy.

Ladies Choice: Ashley Lauren & Hair under the microscope

2010-08-13T23:19:00.005-05:00

Yesterday I made a stop at Ashley Lauren Natural Products to pick up a container of my favorite leave-in conditioner.

Georgia was there and I started talking to her about my hair, particularly my concern about split ends. She said my hair looked very healthy and moisturized, and suggested that we could take a look to see if my ends were really split, or if I was just suffering from some humidity-frizz.

She has a magnifier hooked up to a TV screen, that allows you to see your hair up close and personal. We checked different parts of my hair, running the magnifier down the shaft to the ends, and saw that I had no splits! (yay!)

Last night, I found this article online, that shows hair under high magnification, explaining what it looks like to have split ends, damaged cuticle, etc. Interesting! Check it out: Hair Under the Microscope

Ladies Choice: Koils by Nature Hair Butter

2010-08-13T09:07:00.006-05:00

My favorite style is the twist-out, and nothing gives my 2nd and 3rd day twistouts moisture and shine better than Koils by Nature Hair Butter! It's now definitely one of my staple haircare items.

I won a free sample via the Koils by Nature facebook page, and ended up buying a large jar of the unscented hair butter.

I use it to seal my ends when re-twisting my hair (I usually use raw shea butter when I do the initial wet twists), and I put some on my fingertips when I'm untwisting in the morning.

Take a look at the ingredients to see why my hair loves it so much:

Shea butter, coconut oil, kokum butter, mango butter, avocado butter, aloe butter, olive butter, sweet almond butter, illipe butter, jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, organic extra virgin olive oil, rosehip oil, organic honey, grapefruit seed extract, Vitamin E, Vitamin B5, organic essential oils.

Natural goodness! Visit Koils By Nature online: koilsbynature.com

Featured Lady: Dawn Okoro

2010-08-10T22:12:00.003-05:00

Today's featured Lady is beautiful artist Dawn Okoro-- she creates striking images on canvas, particularly of natural black women.

Her website describes Dawn's work as

"informed by the composition techniques used in fashion photography. Using oil, acrylic and pencil, she incorporates photography, collage, and ideas from popular culture. Her artwork embodies space, movement, pattern, design, texture, and color; as well as lived experiences and self-reflexivity. Self-reflexivity is a process by which she critically examines the experiences (exterior and interior) that shape her everyday life and those that surround her."

Dawn, wearing a t-shirt of her own design

Check her out at dawnokoro.com!

Ladies of Reggae: Jamaican Independence 2010

2010-08-08T23:32:00.006-05:00

Sunday night we went to Evanston's James Park for TRC's and Evanston Cricket Club's Jamaican Independence Celebration. There were tons of people in the park throughout the evening, and it was nice to see everybody. Mosquito-bitten and sweaty, we still had a great time!

P wore a 3rd day twist-out and Silky wore a braidout.

P rockin Jamaican Star

Scenes from the event

Ladies Choice: Raw Shea Butter

2010-08-05T08:46:00.002-05:00

Can I tell you how much I love shea butter? So much that we STOCKED UP this summer at the festivals.

This is by far my favorite product for keeping my hair and skin soft moisturized. I use it to twist my hair at night, and it does the trick every time.

You can find it at African/Caribbean festivals in Chicago, various stores, and of course online, at stores including Butters N Bars.

Ladies Link: Afroglitz

2010-08-03T21:45:00.005-05:00

Wow... I just have to share this post at AfroGlitz, about the dangers of kiddie relaxers.

AfroGlitz: Behind the Scenes of the No Lye 'Kiddie Relaxer'

And to thank our mom for not letting us get our hair relaxed until junior high.

My hair was long and comb-breakingly thick before my first relaxer at age 11. My mom's friend did it out of a box kit, and it broke off promptly. My BSL hair was soon chopped into a ear-length mushroom cut.

Seeing the risks of these chemicals, please moms, don't put this stuff on your 3-year old's head!

Monday's Hair

2010-08-02T21:37:00.004-05:00

Twist-out with sides pinned back
Monday, July 26th 2010

P's twist-out
Monday, August 2nd 2010

Ladies Update: Then and Now

2010-08-02T08:04:00.005-05:00

Silky on September 30, 2009

Silky on July 9, 2010

Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse

2010-07-31T16:56:00.005-05:00

Okay, so I've been hearing so much about about the benefits of an apple cider vinegar rinse on natural hair. It is meant to remove buildup from the hair, help to keep the cuticle from lifting, and promote hair health.

Blogger KCurly of Newly Natural has had good experiences with an ACV and water rinse. See her review here: http://newlynatural.com/blog/2009/01/apple-cider-vinegar-acv-rinse/

And the fabulous Autumn of Curly Chronicles tried it too (subscribe to her youtube!)

So when I came across some in my fridge, I decided to give it a try. I mixed 1 part apple cider vinegar with two parts water, and poured the mixture over my freshly shampooed and conditioned hair. I didn't like the smell, but it definitely removed buildup from my hair. But for me, it made my hair way too dry. I didn't experience any of the increased manageability or ease of detangling. It was the opposite. I rinsed it out and added some conditioner, before braiding my wet hair in two cornrows for the night.

When I took it out this morning, it as a disaster. A huge dry frizzy mess. I didn't even take any pictures because I couldn't WAIT to rinse it out and slather on my Suave Almond and Shea butter conditioner!

I think this goes to show that something that works well on one head of hair, may not work on the next. Trial and error will show you what products your hair really loves, and lead you to a happy, healthy mane!

Natural LADY of the Week: Chandra

2010-07-28T07:50:00.006-05:00

Our first Natural Lady of the week is the lovely Chandra. Check out her gorgeous mane, and read about what she does to maintain it.

My name is Chandra, I'm Chan on Fotki.

When and why did you go natural?

I transitioned for 9 months, and Big Chopped in September 2009.. I've always been sort of intrigued by the idea of having my natural hair, I tried twice before to go natural, and would always give in around the 3rd or 4th month. I started a healthy hair journey on my relaxed hair, and then realized if I wanted my hair to be the eptiome of health, I'd have to get rid of my relaxer. I also grew tired of getting my hair relaxed period.

Chan relaxed

What is your current regimen?

I co-wash once a week..followed by a 45 min Deep Condish. Wash once a week...followed by a 45 min Deep condish. I clarify with ACV rinses once every 2 weeks or as needed to remove build up, or to smooth my cuticles. I wear my hair protected(twists or braids, or 1/2 wigs) 5 days out of the week, and worn out for 2 days. I sleep in silk bonnets and seal my ends constantly with castor oil. I never let my hair go longer than 3 days without washing it. I mist it every day, and seal with oils constantly. I'm serious about retaining length and moisture. And I'm handling my hair very carefully right now so I won't experience any breakage.

Chan at 4.5 months post BC

What are the 3 products you can't do without?

Well I guess this should be what products, I don't like to go without, because I can always find a close second for most of my favorite products.

But my favorite 3 are: Bee Mine Curly Butter, Kinky Curly's Knot Today, Castor Oil (does this count as a product? if not then add Bee Mine Luscious Balance Moisturizer as the Third one)

What is your natural hair goal?

I have so many goals for my natural hair, but those on the forefront, is to master the overall health of my hair. I'm starting to really amp up my protective styling to maintain length inorder to reach my goal length which is slighty passed my shoulders. (Max APL.) Overall my goal is to know my hair , and to effortlessly manage my natural hair, while maintaining it's health without having to think too hard about it.

Anything you'd like to add? Inspiration for transitioners or those considering going natural?

The best advice I can give a transitioner is to keep "the reason" why you decided to go natural in the forefront of your mind. If you're just doing it because it's a trend or fad for you, you probably won't last. You have to have a strong conviction on why "you" want to go natural in order to succeed.

For those who are considering going natural, I'd ask that you do the same. Also, after you've decided that it's what you really want, please be patient this entire journey is a process, and it can be stressful.

Reach out to other naturals on places like fotki and youtube to keep you inspired, and encouraged, because you will need it.

And finally the best advice I can give is to accept your hair for what it is. Please do not stress if your hair is not exactly like some naturals that you admire, make "your" hair the best that it can be! And you will gain the admiration of others. This is the best decision that I could've ever made for my hair, I absolutely love it!

Thank you Chandra! Happy Hair Growing!

Ladies of Reggae: Assassin Concert on 24 July

2010-07-27T13:52:00.003-05:00

With Assassin before he hit the stage, Saturday night in Chicago.

S wearing chunky twists. P wearing a modified Curlformers fro.

Curlformers: Take II

2010-07-26T21:07:00.005-05:00

Okay, so we gave Culrformers another try...

We set the curls using Elasta QP design foam, in big sections. And left them in all afternoon and overnight.

Ready.... Set

Go...

It looked like a new version of my mom's 1980's hairstyle. We think the sections might have been too large and didn't dry completely, and frizzed out once I hit the air.

And P gave it a different twist.

And it all turned to frizz...

We still want to give it another try, and next time we'll use smaller sections, but what about the humidity??

Ladies of Reggae on Natural Belle

2010-07-25T18:35:00.004-05:00

Natural blogger Belle rocks a short fade and has a great fashion and hair blog! And she was kind enough to give us a post.

Check it out!

The Ladies of Reggae

Ladies Choice: Curlformers

2010-07-25T16:15:00.006-05:00

My sister and I tried Curlformers for the first time this weekend, thanks to Nikkimae2003's fabulous youtube tutorial.

Nikki Mae on the Curlformers Website

Mae is one of our favorite natural hair vloggers!

We finally gave into curiosity and decided to give them a try.

Instead of the full Curlformers Starter Kit, we made our way to Sally's Beauty Supply and bought three of the individual 10-packs for $11.99 each. Also picked up the Curlformers hook for $3.49.

They're kind of tricky to get the hang of, the first time. Especially if you have thicker hair, and need to do some trial and error to figure out the best size for parts.

Initial results- lovely!

Final Look

All of this was great and exciting, until I realized that some of the curls weren't fully dry. And it was one of the most humid, sticky, hot and miserable days we've had... I tried to use hairspray to give some of the spirals a fighting chance, but to no avail. The curls turned into a huge frizzy afro, which worked for the night, but still a little disappointing that I couldn't make the cute style last more than 15 minutes. We're both giving them a try again, to see how they look for Monday morning at work!

Ladies Link: why are relaxers dangerous?

2010-07-24T09:34:00.005-05:00

Have you ever wondered why relaxers get your hair so straight?

What chemicals are causing the burns and discomfort?

Check out this interesting post from AfroGlitz Magazine: Why Relaxers are Dangerous

Ladies' Favorite: Black Girl with Long Hair

2010-07-23T20:12:00.008-05:00

As new naturals, we did a lot of online research and are happy to share the blogs that helped us on our path. One of my favorite natural hair blogs is Black Girl With Long Hair, filled with tons of content, beautiful featured natural hair icons, and thought-provoking topics of discussion. And lucky for us, she's based right here in the Windy City.

This summer, we took advantage of the fact that Leila organized a Black Girl With Long Hair Chicago Naturals meetup, at the Little Black Pearl.

It was a great opportunity for natural hair fellowship, information sharing, product-swapping, and of course shopping....

Handmade hair flowers. This one is from Nikki B Boutique.

Here's the beautiful Leila of BlackGirlwithLongHair. It was also a pleasure to meet Patrice, aka Afrobella, often called the Godmother of brown beauty bloggers. These are two of my favorite natural hair blogs out there, and so happy that both of them call Chicago home!

Leila of BlackGirlwithLongHair-- thanks for organizing! We're looking forward to the next one.

And there was a beautiful exhibit in the works at Little Black Pearl. If you have a chance, definitely check it out!

Ladies Choice: Pinned up Twists

2010-07-23T19:32:00.005-05:00

As my hair grew from teeny-weeny afro to a good medium-sized fro, I found myself looking for some protective styles that I could wear with ease. My favorite of all is this pinned-up twist style! Simple, easy, and pretty.

I did two-strand twists, and left them in overnight, then in the morning, I strategically pinned them using bobby pins. Often, I would twist two twists together, before pinning. Add a headband, hair flower, or other hair jewelry to finish the look.

Grecian-style

Want to see how to do it? Natural Hair vlogger, APippens, has a great tutorial. Check it out!

The beginning....

2010-07-22T20:40:00.007-05:00

Our natural journey began in 2009, when we had our last relaxers.

My (P's) decision was made when I got my hair relaxed at a local beauty school in May, just before my wedding at the end of that month. It burned my scalp badly. I had about a 2.5 inch weeping scabby burn on my head, and all I could think about was how grossed out the hairstylist was going to be when she styled my hair for my wedding.

But somehow, that wasn't enough to stop me. My last relaxer was at the end of July 2009, right before we left for Reggae Sumfest 2009. My hair was long, straight, and color-treated. My sister's was short, straight and cute. We avoided the water until the end of the trip (you know, the usual) and had a great trip anyway.

When we got back, I steeled my resolve and decided to go for it once and for all. No more anticipating cold "perm" on my scalp, building to an itchy burn. No more dry scalp. No more damage.

My sister was ready too. She'd gone natural once before... in 2006
(throwback!)

And she eagerly took the plunge again, shaving off her relaxed hair in October 2009.

Patiently, I transitioned for 8 months, and on April 2, 2010, I went to a local salon, and had Jerome at Yehia's wield the scissors to do the honors... my big chop!

And that is where the story begins.....

The Ladies of Reggae: Natural Hair

2010-07-22T20:29:00.002-05:00

We've decided to post all of our natural hair information, favorite products, favorite blogs, techniques and accessories in one place-- this blog! Please sit back, relax, and enjoy!

♥
The Ladies of Reggae