Hair Lust: The last days of summer

Yes, technically it's Fall. But have you walked outside? It's for real 88° in Nashville! Like dude! I'm drinking my Pumpkin Spiced Latte ICED! What the crap!

So, saw this fly photo on Pinterest and knew I had to post it for our Hair Lust segment. The fun of living in the south is that you can still do warm weather things, even if the calendar says otherwise. That includes rocking fly sunglasses and short hair. Try it! Happy fake fall! Lol! 

For actual fall style, check out Fab Glance!

Melissa's Hair: And then you get a weave …

So like, I got a weave. Why? I was tired of looking at my ears! Lol! NAW, this 'grow your sides out' struggle is REAL AND TRUE! I got so used to having such a tight fade ( to perfection!) so seeing my little 'fro pop out was tripping me out. I had to change something. Wah-la weave!

I kept it simple and bought some hair from the hair store (Kim's Hair Plus on Bell Road, Antioch, TN). I know a lot of people get hair off the internet - but I have to SEE and TOUCH my hair before I purchase it. And, don't let Instagram fool you, you can still buy good hair - in the package - at your local hair store. And it's ACTUALLY cheaper! I purchased Sensationnel 'Bare & Natural' 100% Brazilian Virgin Remi in natural black. It was 3 for $170. Right! Right!!

I wanted something with a natural wave that could be curled, dyed, and laid to the side. When I arrived at my stylist's house she was ecstatic to see the hair I purchased - it's her favorite hair to use. Score!

As far as hiding the fact that I don't have any sides; this hair has tremendous body and thickness. You can't even tell I have shaved sides. My hair at the top is braided and protected with a small bit of leave out. Now, I have to tie my hair down right to make sure it doesn't revert - but I shall not be using too much heat. We know my hair hates heat and will get heat damage faster than a toddler tears up a bedroom. The struggle is real keeping the African and the Brazilian hair looking like they get along!

So , here's to growing back my hair! As always, I'll keep you posted on my journey! 

The #PopUpMeetUp was a FUN SUCCESS!

"Why don't we have a surprise meetup at a place where there will be a ton of Natural Hair Girls rocking their natural in the most amazing way possible?"

That's the text I sent to the NIN team when I realized the 34th Annual African Street Festival was on the way. Usually, we go around taking pictures of the lovely ladies. But this time I wanted to do something different. 

 

So, gathered a bunch of samples and some extra NIN tshirts and we were on our way. I sent out the alert and I saw a great response. I knew this would be a great way to say "hey!" To all you faithful readers, give away some swag, and let you guys ask us some questions!  

And did we have a good time? Oh yes we did! There weren't many in attendance, but the few who came lucked out; they won free TSHIRTS.  The weather was amazing, the Festival was spectacular, and the questions were flowing. We had a good time!

We hope to do another big event in the coming months - but we might try this POP-UP thing again! It was spontaneously fun!

ROOTS & RHYTHM: Earth Wind and Fire - "September"

With Summer fading perfectly into Fall, I've been humming "September" by Earth, Wind and Fire for the past few days.  While we know and love them for beautiful horns and a wide range of vocal octaves, they are never short on style.

During the time they released "September" there were TWAs all around, but over the years they wore everything from full afros to locs.  Verdine White is most know for his pressed hair while Phillip Bailey eventually grew locs. Maurice White stayed true to the afro and now a closer cut through his illness.  Together these three anchored and guided the sound and (clearly) the style of Earth Wind and Fire.

Verdine White, Phillip Bailey and Maurice White.

Earth, Wind and Fire created a visual experience through their wardrobe as well.  The ornate detail and varying colors always seem to reflect their music beautifully.  Many of their live shows carried the futuristic energy of several artists during the time that inspired some of our favorites including Outkast and Janelle Monae.

For Earth wind and Fire, they managed to do it with an elegance that transcended the way they looked or dressed. With music and lyrics, their songs continue to speak to the heart and soul of those who love them.

Enjoy your September!

HAIR LUST: Hair We Grow Again

Today's HAIR LUST photo is a source of inspiration for me. Every since I cut my hair I've dreaded the day when I decided to grow it back. That day is now. I'm ready to have a bit more hair to play around with. However, my hair doesn't grow the fastest and like most, I'm impatient.

Luckily, Pinterest is a great way to give yourself some inspiration. I've found all sort of low, tapered, fro pictures to keep me patient and inspire me to grow strong healthy hair. I'm loving this look! It's so cool and stylish. This time around, I'm gonna enjoy my short fro stage instead of wishing for the big fro so soon.

Product Review: Miss Jessie's Crème de la Crème Leave-In Conditioner

If you are familiar with the personalities of the writers, then you know that I, Candice, am an avid kitchen chemist. I love to mix my own products so that I know exactly what I'm putting in my hair. And if I am not making my own products, 92% of the store bought products I use are natural.

But about 2 weeks ago, I needed a conditioner to use for deep conditioning. Trader Joe's was too far of a drive (especially with the traffic barricade in that part of town) to get my usual conditioner. Long story short, I went to another store and decided to try something new. I saw Miss Jessie's Crème de la Crème conditioner, grabbed it, and headed home. I didn't even bother to look at the ingredients.

My "I found a good leave-in" face!

And that's when I realized that the conditioner I grabbed was actually a LEAVE-IN conditioner. I was so disappointed. Until lately, I considered leave-ins a waste of time. They never worked for my hair or made any noticeable difference in the way my hair looked, styled, or felt. But I figured that since I had it at hand, I might as well try it. My opinion can be summed up in 3 words:

Ah. Maze. Zing.

This is before I fluffed and separated. I wanted to get a picture before in case my hair frizzed up.

My hair loves Miss Jessie's leave-in. They don't go by the rules I learned for leave-in conditioners. Crème de la Crème  is not watery or oily. It's thick and creamy it takes work to distribute evenly. I suggest applying small amounts to sections. Also, the conditioner smells fresh. It reminds of the "salon scent" that you have when you use professional products. And because it's a leave-in, the scent lasts for days. It also works well with other scents. I used the leave-in with my favorite oil, which smells amazing on its own.

I tried the leave-in a second time, just in case the first set of curl-tastic results was a fluke. Nope. Both times I did flat twist outs. Both times I had minimal frizz, and the moisture from my wash lasted days longer than usual. It left my hair as soft as Drake's music lyrics. I am completely sold on this product.

This is day 2 shine... that you could see more clearly if I had a clean camera lense.

P.S. It is not natural. I do not care. My hair loves it.

Candice's Hair Diary: Living on the Edges

No. This has nothing to do with the blog. Just wanted this gif of my niece and I here.
We're hair twins. Her hair is super thick and long!

No. The title does not have a typo. I actually meant "Living on the Edges", not "Living on the Edge". That's where my hair journey is. I've been fighting to save what's left of my edges. I don't want to be that girl who has empty spots in her scalp. 4 years into this hair, and I'm just now learning that Khani (the name I call my fro) is not here for high-tension hair styles.

My scalp is way too visible. WAY TOO VISIBLE!

Hello traction alopecia. In short, traction alopecia describes hair loss that is caused by constant pulling or tension over a period of time. And well... the first time I had a smooth bald spot when I got that horrible hair weave by that one person. The braids were tight, but the thread was even tighter.  Then, I recently had those gorgeous Havana twists that I kept in for nearly 2 months. And now... I am struggling to keep what edges I have left.

EXCLUSIVE 'Hustle & Fro' tees on sale now!

 

Last week, I posted an OOTD (outfit of the day) on our sister-site, Fab Glance, that featured this cute 'Hustle & Flow' t-shirt. Well, as soon as it hit the net, lot's of you inquired about it. Truthfully, I'd bought this shirt more than two years ago from a random vendor at one of the many festivals I attended. 

But I couldn't let y'all down. I went to TeeSpring and designed a Natural in Nashville version complete with the NIN logo on the back! SOOO fly! Now I wanna order one of these too!

So, if you are hustling . . . and you got a fro, make sure to order one of these fly shirts. As always, the shirt won't print unless we have 15 orders. So get to ordering, you have a limited time!

CLICK HERE TO ORDER

Natural Hair, Fibroids, and Me - Part 2

Click here to read Part 1of my fibroid journey

Part 2 of this series should really be titled, "if you don't know, now you know!" 

In part 1 of , "Natural Hair, Fibroids, and Me" - I stated that I never had the traditional symptoms that fibroid sufferers have. My cycle was like clockwork, no swelling in my abdomen (that I could see), no pain or cramps, and no spotting. Even with my past 'well-woman' check-ups, my doctor never felt any rumors or abnormalities. By all outside accounts, I had no issues with my lady parts. But, there were other symptoms brewing - not normal for fibroid sufferers but definitely an issue. 

Let's talk about how I got a colon infection on THANKSGIVING! Oh yeah, let's not forget, my hair was shedding like an ugly Christmas sweater and my edges my edges were so sad.  The colon infection was the key to me finding I had fibroids. On thanksgiving day I was struck with (what I thought) was a bad stomach virus. After preparing a delicious meal, I could barely eat one bite. 

Cramps were ravaging my stomach coming as quickly as labor contractions. I had a fever accompanied with chills and I was sweating like I ran a marathon. I suffered for three days waiting to get an appointment with my doctor. When I got my examination, my primary care doctor was puzzled. A physical examination didn't show much in the uterus or in the colon; she sent me to get an ultrasound. 

Roots & Rhythm: Lenny Kravtiz and Prince - "American Woman"

The countdown is on to the release of new work from Prince this fall.  Art Official Age will be released September 30 alongside Plectrumelectrum with his newest group 3RDEYEGIRL.

'Fro Friday Love: Prince.

When we thought we couldn't love Prince anymore, he gives us "Breakfast Can Wait" with humor and style.  The album cover honors Dave Chappelle's classic interpretation of Charlie Murphy's memories of Prince.  The video features another interesting interpretation of young Prince with some very nice choreography.  Even as you're entertained, you're still moving to classic Prince.

September 30

Top that off with cover art direction and photography by Shameless Maya, this album is what we love about Prince.  His personal evolution is always apparent in his work.  With each band or group he brings together, he's always honoring best of those coming up in music and art.

Prince is brilliant at allowing his talent to support others.  I saw this gem on YouTube a while ago and I love it because it shows just that.  Here he is on tour when he brings Lenny Kravitz out to perform "American Woman".

This is one of the best performances I've seen from both of them.  Lenny's vocals and Prince's guitar solo... Enjoy!

Ashiya's Hair Diary: All Dressed Up In Love

This weekend one of my closest friends said "I do" in one of the most beautiful wedding ceremonies I've ever attended.  My friend, Valerie, is the epitome of elegance.  Her energy and her style are both effortlessly regal and it was definitely reflected in her wedding day look, the decor and her bridesmaids.

Natural Hair Beauty: Pressed straight, Curled, Loc'd, Braided and Two-strand twisted updos. 

Because natural hair can be affected by so many variables, the style choice for weddings are usually decided as carefully as the wedding dress itself.  Most brides I know had at least two wedding day hair trials to see how the style would hold up for the day.  In my own experience, my lovely curls held up well until the morning of our wedding.  They fell into a softer curl pattern than I wanted, but I was still pleased.

Wedding Day Locs: Soft curls tucked and pinned.

Since curls are usually easy to manipulate, I decided to try my first set after my hair cut.  Same deal. They held up well until late in the evening the day before Valerie's wedding.  I decided to go ahead and pin them up and work with what I had.  Even though the curls we not as I hoped, I still appreciated the volume added.  I had plenty of drying time, so I think I will use smaller rollers next time to preserve the curls longer.

Rain started to move in, but we were all smiles regardless.

While I was the only bridesmaid with locs, everyone rocked their natural hair and again, I was reminded of the beauty and versatility of owning your texture.  We were certainly all dressed up in Love.

(If you got my Sex And The City reference, these Ladies love you!)

HAIR LUST: A real wild child!

There's nothing like seeing a woman with a head full of wild curls! When I was on our Tumblr I saw this gorgeous girl and her gorgeous head of hair and I had to post her photos! I'm having major hair envy right now! Plus, this photo-shoot is EVERYTHING - check out more photos HERE.

Melissa's Hair Diary: Natural Hair, Fibroids, and Me - Part 1

 

About a month ago, I underwent a Fibroid Myomectomy - I had two large non-cancerous fibroid tumors removed - leaving my uterus intact. To say I was surprised that I had to go through this procedure is to say the least. I thought I'd share my journey to recovery in three posts. Part 1: Before I knew I had the tumors, Part 2: Living life with the tumors and Part 3: The recovery and the future. Let's get started.

The picture above is from 2011 - it was the last time my hair 'acted right'. It was thick, curly, and my edges were flourishing! About six months later my hair started to shed like crazy! I didn't know what the deal was, but I knew I had an issue. So, I did what most naturals do, I started the vitamins. After some research on other natural hair blogs and YouTube channels, I chose to use biotin and Vitamin E to help with hair growth. I went to a stylist and got my ends clipped too. Anything to stop the shedding.

What I didn't know was hair shedding is sometimes an internal issue. For me, the development of the tumor started to pull the important vitamins and minerals out of my system causing my hair to shed, break, and feel really dry. I didn't have an answer, I knew there was an issue, but I never thought it was a fibroid tumor.

In my circle, three of my friends had fibroid removal surgery in ONE YEAR. When it started to hit home, I started to realize that fibroid tumors were a real thing. I started to think about the women in my family, most had fibroid tumors, and almost all have had partial or complete hysterectomies.

During my research, I found that Fibroid tumors occur in 80% of ALL WOMEN, more than 50% of those women are women of color (African decent, Latino, and Asian).  Plus, there's a definite connection between relaxers and fibroid tumors. This connection is what leads many black women to starting their natural hair journey. That wasn't my story, but it's a real deal.

Tumors can grow in all parts of the uterus including the fallopian tubes, outside of the uterus,  and in the lining of the uterus. Most women experience pain in the abdomen, heavy menstrual cramping, long periods, and fatigue when the have fibroid tumors. Most doctors recommend removal of the tumors and/or the uterus to help women get back to normal.   

I never had ANY of those symptoms. So, I never thought I'd have to deal with the issue. I was different. My cycle was like clockwork, barely any cramping, and I still had the flow of a teenager, 5 days max. It was another discovery that led my doctor to the helping me figure out what the HECK was going on with my hair and my body. But, I'll tell you about that in Part 2 . . . stay tuned!

SOURCES:

• "Uterine Fibroids Health Center", WebMD
• "Young African-American Women Affected Most by Uterine Fibroids", Tasha Mitchell, Huffington Post
• Hair Relaxer Use and Risk of Uterine Leiomyomata in African-American Women, American Journal of Epidemiology