Thick Hair Rule # 7

Say “No” to Petroleum and Mineral oil

 

For years I used mineral oil or petroleum-laced products in my hair.  In most cases, it was all I had because it was all I could afford.  Once price wasn’t an issue, I used them because I didn’t know any better.  If I knew then what I know now about petroleum, I could have saved years of aggravation trying to grow my hair longer.

Whether you have a relaxer or natural hair, beware of the amount of petroleum and mineral oil (grease) you put in your hair.

Here’s what I know about mineral oil (liquid petroleum) and petroleum product:

Mineral oils and Petroleum shine my hair but don’t make it healthy.  Now that I’m trying to grow my hair longer, I don’t mistake shiny hair for healthy hair. Petroleum-laced products coat my hair and create a barrier that is impossible for moisture to permeate the hair shaft.  Without moisture, textured hair doesn’t thrive; it becomes brittle, and doesn’t grow past a certain point.  Still worse, the products I once used prevent dirt and dandruff from escaping from my hair and they clog my hair follicles which suffocate the scalp.   

 Petroleum and Mineral oils are fillers in African American hair products. The reason so many products in ethnic hair aisles contain mineral oil and petroleum is because they are cheap additive.  The other reason is that we aren’t educating ourselves on why certain products aren’t healthy for our hair.  Essentially, we are being taken advantage of by manufacturers who are looking for a cheaper way to make hair products for 14% of the population.  Please don’t misunderstand me; I’m not necessarily blaming them for their business practices.  The companies are saving money, but it’s to the detriment of our hair.  Black people buy a lot of hair care products.  We should resist purchasing products with these “fillers” and focus on products that cultivate healthier hair.  Retailers will change what goes on the shelf once we demand better ingredients for our hair. 

I think it is in the best interest for all curly, kinky, relaxed and natural hair girls to use products specifically made for natural hair.  Natural hair products usually contain no petroleum or mineral oils.  Their moisture is gained from natural butters and oils like shea and jojoba.  These natural products feed the hair as well as promote a healthy scalp.  Petroleum products are great for shine, but not great for much else.

 

 

Thick Hair Rules #20

Humidity is a hater.

 

I was in Las Vegas over the weekend and I noticed my twist out never faded.  I had defined curls for five days.  The desert loves my hair. My husband even noticed.  Humidity hates on me and I bet it hates on you too.  One morning after I’d let down my twist out I quickly met a friend for brunch.  As I walked from the car into the restaurant I felt my hair rise.  It wasn’t until I looked in the bathroom mirror that I realized that my hair’s circumference had grown at least in inch.  Why did it go from a full, luscious twist out to a fro? Before I pack my bags and move to Nevada, I had better figure this out.

Here’s what I know about humidity and hair: 

Humidity is the amount of water in the air. The more water vapors that are in the air the more likely they are to settle in my hair. This is what makes my hair puffy and frizzy.  When my natural hair is moist it loses all definition. When I was relaxed, I couldn’t hold a curl.

Growing up with relaxed hair in Houston, Texas my hair was always puffy. Relaxed hair does even worst in humid weather.  During the relaxing process a protective layer is stripped from the hair making it even less resistant to moisture in the air.  The advice I give to my relaxed friends is to add a silicone barrier to the hair. Silicones will protect a style from the frizzes. However, it can build up on the hair from overuse. Even in the winter make sure to moisturize and condition the hair, this will attract less style killing water vapors then drier hair.  A great silicone product is Frizz-ease by John Frieda.  

My anti frizz routine is a little more complicated since I became natural. I stay away from glycerin. Glycerin is also a hater. This might not be true for you, but glycerin is my nemesis. Glycerin attracts moisture in the air, to the hair.  My natural hair really dislikes glycerin.  When I’m trying to wear a defined style like a twist-out, braid-out or blow out I go out of my way to avoid it.  I make my own hair products just to avoid it. I avoid it all year and not just in the summer. Instead of using a silicone on my natural hair I use castor oil to seal. It works well and gives me a little shine.  I sport a puff or a bun on humid days.  I’m noticing that the winter months are a little easier on my styles.  No sweating out a hairdo unless I’m working out.  It is winter now and the weather is drier so I’ll have to remember to keep my hair moisturized.  Still, I’m going to miss that dry Nevada air.

Thick Hair Rule # 18

 If your hair is Natural, use wide tooth combs.

 

 

            My hair is so thick that I never dreamed of using anything but a wide tooth comb.  Even the thought of running one of those narrowly-spaced, rat-tailed combs through my hair makes me cringe.  I actually prefer finger combing.  I only use a tool (ie. comb) in my hair once a week during my wash routine. The school of thought is less combing, less breakage.  I look for combs that slip through my hair with the least amount of tension.  The space in between the teeth of my comb is important because it allows me to gently remove tangles without much breakage.  Essentially, the space gives my strands of hair room to separate, which improves detangling.

 
I’ve never had a problem with tangles (did you hear that knock on wood).  No matter what kind of comb I use, that snap-crackle-pop sound I hear when I detangle is just something I had to get use to. When I first went natural I hated losing any hair to breakage, but as my hair got longer I stopped sweating a single stand knot. Knots are a part of the natural lifestyle, so I embrace it.

 

These are the wide tooth combs I avoid:

 

·         Anything with metals ends. If it’s not gentle on my scalp it’s probably just as rough on my strands.

 

·         Cheaply made combs. If the handle breaks what’s the point. If I wanted a pick I would have bought a pick.
 
·         Combs where the seams are so thick they tear your hair strands. If I run my fingers along the inside of my comb and feel the seams – I’ll choose another comb.

 

I know a comb isn’t a big deal, but when you desire strong, healthy, envy producing hair every little thing counts.

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Why I went Natural

Why I went Natural

Dear Diary,

I wish I could say that I stopped straightening my hair after a bad experience with a relaxer or that I needed to after some profound spiritual journey.

The truth is…I had never seen my real hair texture.  When I tell people why I went natural I always get that sideways head nod and a “for real, never?”

This is how I got to thirty-seven without seeing my real kinks and curls:

I don’t remember being two and natural.

At three I got a “press” in the back of a fat ladies kitchen (it’s possible she wasn’t fat but I was tiny and she seemed huge standing over me with that hot comb).

Four still pressed.

When I was five I got a Jerry Curl. Yes, a Jerry curl…and I rocked it.

(Did I mention that my mom was a cosmetologist and had NO problems putting chemicals in my hair?)

So from seven to thirty-seven I had a relaxer. While my hair was relaxed I had: ponytails, fake ponytails, a pineapple, weaves, sister curls, braids, a Rio-the Brazilian relaxer crème that made all those ladies bald in the early 90’s, and lots of flat ironing.

I was trying to convince my 4/a daughter not to relax her hair when she asked, “What does your hair looks like without a relaxer?”   I thought for a second a bit frazzled, then I said, “It’s like an afro (that’s all I could think of) it’s very thick and I NEED a relaxer. It doesn’t matter, because you’ll never see it anyway.” At that moment I realized I had never seen it.

What did my hair look like without a relaxer?

Could I be the example my daughter needed to see?

With that question weighing on my mind, I realized my new weave stylist hadn’t been relaxing my hair between installations. Well, here’s my chance to see my real hair.  So after three installs I removed my weave, cut off seven inches of hair and met my new fro.  It was two inches tall, thick and in need of serious moisture. I couldn’t stop petting it.

My stylist’s other client said, “You act like you’ve never seen your real hair before.”

“I haven’t,” I replied.