ROOTS & RHYTHM: India Arie f. Akon - "I Am Not My Hair"

This time of year is always seems to be a unique mixture of our past, present and future.  Families are planning to gather and celebrate each other and their traditions.  Individually we're planning for the year ahead while showing gratitude for the blessings of the year that has passed.

Candice, Toya, Ashiya, and Melissa at the 30th Annual African Street Festival 2012

It is a time of change and it has certainly landed at Natural in Nashville.  We will already miss Amber, just as we miss Toya.  That gives us another reason to be thankful for our online community. We can see them flourish and grow where they have been planted now.  And we miss them a little bit less.

NIN Spring 2014 Photo Shoot: Candice, Ashiya, Amber and Melissa.

The team is changing and growing for 2015 and we are excited for the next leg of our collective natural hair journey.  One thing writing for Natural In Nashville has confirmed for me is something we all know:  it is more than hair.  Healthy hair is the result of a healthy mind, body and Spirit.  It truly does depend on our lifestyle.

NIN Spring Meet Up: Melissa, Candice, Ashiya and Amber

Nothing made this more evident than looking over the blog and seeing our health concerns, personal beliefs and special moments in life all connected to stories about our hair.

As we welcome two new writers and prepare for 2015, I found no better song than this classic from Ms. India Irie.  We come here to share about our hair, but it is so much more!

Stay tuned to Natural in Nashville on Facebook for more on our new writers!

We can't wait to see you at the Natural in Nashville Holiday #PopUpMeetUp!  Get tickets here.

Candice's Hair Diary: Fall 2014 Update

I'm usually not excited about my hair routine. But I was

loving this stretched twist-out.

Sometimes hair maintenance gets boring. Wash, condition, twist, repeat. So... I've decided to try new things. I'm going to be searching for new products to try for the fall/winter season. I have already noticed increased dryness in my hair. Summertime was so easy-going this year. But the fall season is already like "Turn down for what!" So I have to devise a game plan:

Step 1:  Deep Conditioning. I've got to deep condition more often. I'm thinking once a week. I definitely need to condition at least 3 times a month. I don't have a problem with growth or length retention, but I know that I should beef up my deep condition schedule before the split ends take over my hair.

Step 2: Cleanse. I'm going to make it a point to do a thorough cleansing of my hair at least once a month. I admit: I became comfortable with co-washing because it makes my hair look awesome and it saves a step. But I need to get back in line with at least a monthly shampoo and / or ACV rinse.

Step 3. Trim. It's totally time for a trim. I'm going to take a trip to a salon because I can never get it right on my own. I've noticed that as soon as my hair gets dry, the single-strand knots start to multiply with the quickness. They are so annoying!

Step 4: I really didn't have a step four. I did this to have an even number of steps. I rhink I'll make this one random. I should do more protective styling. Speaking of which: I bought a wig! But I'll talk about that in a separate post. I've noticed my edges growing back. I'm SO HAPPY. They aren't where they should be, but thank God they aren't where they were a few months ago. Also, I'm really focused on health and wellness. I've been working on fitness. Expect more fitness related talk in future hair diaries.

The last time I found a product I loved, it was on accident. Where do you look to find new hair products? What changes are you making to your winter hair routine?

 

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.

UPDATE: WHERE HAVE WE BEEN?!?!

OMG! I know you are wondering, "Where has the team been?" What have we been doing, and GOSHDARNIT where are the posts? Lol! Sorry! We apologize. You know what happened? Life happened! Below I'll share a couple of updates and let you know when we'll get this train rolling again. 

MELISSA, The Editor-in-Chief: guess I'll start with myself. I've been traveling all summer long, with more travel ahead of me. Most importantly, I'll be speaking in MEMPHIS at the NATURALS IN THE CITY Natural Hair Event. Then I have to have surgery which will take me out the game for about FOUR WEEKS! Ugh! I know!

When September comes you're gonna see a bunch of changes with the site and with the team. I'm working hard (behind the scenes) to set up a strong foundation to handle such changes. Of course you know I run TWO WEBSITES (check out www.fabglance.com) and making sure both sets of readers are entertained and informed can be alot to juggle. No complaints, because I love what I do - but I need longevity to stay in this game. So sometimes I need to lay low in order to go big.

T-SHIRTS: real talk, manufacturing t-shirts takes money on the front end that you may not receive in the back end. I know I promised NEW t-shirts for the summer, but I think we are gonna produce more shirts in the fall (September). They will be nice!

ANOTHER EVENT: yup! I want to do another event. Like I said about the t-shirts, events cost money. BIG MONEY! But we LOVE to see you all in person so we are DEFINITELY going to do another event. I wanted to do something in August, but that's not gonna happen, so we are leaning more towards OCTOBER. In everything, I want excellence! Never wanting to do anything half-way, sometimes telling myself NO is the hardest part. You know we'll keep you posted about the next #NINMEETUP.

BUT CAN Y'ALL POST MORE ARTICLES? Umm - yeah we can. Posting articles takes research and time. It's summer! We want to play outside! Lol! But for real, I'll take the lead and start posting more articles. Especially during my recovery in August; I'll have some time to write a bunch of stuff that's been sitting in my queue for months. No, I'm not lying, the team has at least 25 UNFINISHED articles just waiting for us to buckle down and finish. We LOVE our readers and we APOLOGIZE for not posting daily like usual.

Make sure you follow us on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, and TUMBLR! Those are spots where I post little gems, pics, and sometimes contests. Stay connected!  

First up, our girl Amber graduated from AVEDA!! Not only did she graduated, she won like a kabillion awards and scored a new job. She'll be a stylist at the TRUE BLUE salon on West End in Nashville.

And, Ashiya is working hard and making changes too. Not only did she chop her locs (aren't you loving this cut) but she's started a business with her family and she's steady advancing in her yoga teaching skills. SWAN HOLISTIC will be up and running soon; bringing quality yoga classes and teaching to you!

 And last, but not least, Candice has been working hard too. She got a fancy-nancy switch/promotion at her job, some very fly Havana Twists (seen above), and SHE GOT ENGAGED! Yup! We had to give the new fiancé some time to be happy abt all these new changes.

So you see we haven't forgot about you. We are just living life for a moment. But I promise, you aren't ready for FALL 2014 - it's gonna be bananas! I encourage you to take advantage of the summer, live life, take a ton if pics, and stop worrying about your hair! We love you!

Candice's Hair Diary: Revisiting Straight Hair

Okay. The flash got me. But still... check out my hair.

The last time I had my hair straightened was February 2013. I've been trying to get myself to straighten it since Christmas of last year. But finally, I achieved this long-lasting straight hair style via my favorite stylist, Tasha Shelton. It had been so long since I've had Tasha give my hair some professional care. I love that she's gentle with my hair even though it's thicker than average, and most of my hair is pretty coarse. It took a while to do, but I think it was worth it. What usually takes an 1.5 hours on someone else may take 2.5 hours on my head. Tasha said that my hair seemed to have gotten THICKER since the last time I was in her chair. She also said I should come in more regularly for a trim. Can't argue there. It had been over 6 months and I KNOW that I was overdue. I guess there are worse things that could be said to a client, so I'll take that.  *shrug*

So the current photo is on the left. The right is from Feb. 2013.

But MY HAIR THOUGH! On day 1 I had two different people ask me if I had a sew-in. *side-eye* Now that I have a side-by-side, I can see the growth. Especially since I had all that color cut off last summer and I can still see visible growth. I'm so inspired by something that I heard at the NIN meetup. I'm going to be more gentle with my hair and try to retain length. I'm probably not going to do regular length-checks; but expect to see my afro grow bigger.

Side twist. Twisted Bun. Side Pin-up. Straight hair is versatile, too.

 All in all, I had this style for 2.5 weeks. OF COURSE I didn't wear straight hair every day. And yes, it rained quite a few of those days. When I tell y'all my hair was LAID, I really mean it was LAID! Tasha did an excellent job. My thirsty hair stayed true to it's nature and soaked up the humidity, but I didn't have any real problems until I went dancing. The turn up was too much for straight hair. I was feeling fancy and left my elastic bands at home. Shout-out to my boyfriend who snapped this picture of me trying to do a make-shift side pinup with no hair pins and no hair ties. Oh the struggle.

I was downtown trying to save my hair.
The right photo is what it looked like the morning after.

This is the thing with straight natural hair. It can be fabulous! But, it takes maintenance to keep it looking its silky best, just like curly hair takes maintenance to keep it looking fly. See my face in the picture above?? It wasn't even hot outside. My hair was not here for my dance floor antics. *sigh*  I just KNEW that this was the beginning of the end. But I still got another week of wear out of this style. And not tragic, barely making it wear either. I had a good, FULL 2.5 weeks of wear. It could have lasted longer, but who goes that long without washing their hair?

 

Fun times. 

Straight hair that isn't naturally straight does take heat to maintain. I added heat to my hair on occasion. All but one of my heat styling was because I wanted curls. All in all, I wanted a break from the curly hair routine; and I did get a 2.5 week break. I learned a lot of new things about maintaining this style. The only products I used for maintenance were water, coconut oil, and a flat iron. The only time I put real effort towards straightening my hair was the morning after my sweaty "boogie night". Any other humidity problems could be solved by wrapping my hair. I loved the break, but I was going through curl withdrawal. I'm happy to back to my naturally curly self. I've learned so much this go around. I'm already planning my next blog for chemical-free naturals who wear their hair straight.

Do you wear your naturally curly hair straight? How do you maintain your natural straight styles? Leave a comment below!

Nashville Naturals: Emmanuel Ehiemua

Our Nashville meetup was awesome. So when I saw Emmanuel in one of my least favorite places, I had to keep the awesomeness rolling. I'd like to introduce you to Emmanuel Ehiemua! Say "Hi Emmanuel".

Hi Emmanuel!

Emmanuel was displaying his awesomeness in that store doing good things. So, because you can never get in and out of that store in a timely manner, we had time to chat it up. First things first: HAIR. I totally wasn't being a creeper or anything, but I first saw him from behind. I noticed his hair immediately. I know locs are more common with men nowadays, but they are often neglected. His locs were thick and lush and shiny, so I couldn't help but share. Take a gander.

This was the first view I caught of Emmanuel.
Tell me you hair fiends wouldn't have noticed!!! 

Emmanuel said that he's been growing his locs for 6 years. All of this happened in 6 years. It kind of made me want to get my hair life in order. And if you're wondering about his name, Emmanuel is a first generation American Nigerian who was born right here in Nashville. He is definitely a fan of women who embrace their natural beauty. Although he had never heard of Natural in Nashville, Emmanuel loves to see women with natural hair. He also shared that he is always encouraging Black women to be their natural selves. I know we love on ourselves, but it's so fresh to hear it from a man every now and then.

I'm 0-3 against the fluorescent lights. But you can see where I'm headed.

Now, the glare of the fluorescent lights tried to steal some of his thunder. But just imagine it without all of that. And while we waited, I learned that Emmanuel loves his job working with school-aged children. When he's not working with kids, he spends time being... an author. Yep. He has a published book of love poems. He was gracious enough to let me post his face on the internet. So I don't mind telling you that you can buy his book of poetry here on Amazon. He even gave me an autographed copy. How cool is that?

You know how sometimes you come across someone who has a genuine glow of niceness? I definitely have. Emmanuel's personality is just as nice as his hair.

So, what do you think? Nice, right?! Remember that the NIN team is out and about with our cameras[phones]. If you're not afraid to smile for the camera, you could be our next feature.

Natural In Nashville: Whipped Shea Butter Recipe

While I was at the meetup, more than one of you approached me because I said that I can be found in the kitchen, whipping up my own styling and moisturizing products. This is true, but you wanted recipes. I mean, of course you wanted recipes.

I was almost sure I posted this recipe a while ago. But apparently that post went to live in Lost Blogville. But better late than never, right? For those of you who were wondering, here is how I make my whipped shea butter. I'm going to let you know a few things in advance:

• I'm not one who measures. I just eyeball how much looks right. Everything in this recipe is an approximation. It can be adjusted to fit your hair needs. But feel free to leave questions below.
• Mixing this can be messy if you're using a blender. It can be hard to mix thoroughly without a blender. Pick your poison.
• If you are a young reader, ask an adult for help.
• Also, this is a mix that I use. You're totally free to customize it to fit your hair needs. If you are allergic to anything, or decide to use this mix in any way other than an external hair and body cream--- Please don't use it.

Now that those disclaimers are out of the way, go grab some items and get ready to mix! You'll need:

• A mixing bowl
• Electric Mixer
• Rubber Spatula
• Raw Shea butter
• Vitamin E oil
• Aloe Vera (juice or gel)
• Coconut oil
• Your choice of essential oils
• Container with lid

As raw as it gets! I get my Shea butter from Gateway 2 Africa

Although it's not a necessity, you could make this mixing process go really fast by popping about 1 cup of the raw Shea butter into the mixing bowl, and then microwave. I'd say go about 15 seconds at a time until the butter is solid, but soft enough to mash down the middle with a spatula. It shouldn't take long. Next, add about 2/3 cup of coconut oil. Grab the electric mixer and blend. 

Add 1/3 cup of Aloe Vera juice. Mix it again until everything is well blended. At this point you can let the mixture sit for a bit and begin to firm up. Once it's the consistency of brownie batter, you can add the remaining essential oils and vitamin E oil. I like to use peppermint, tea tree, and a dash of lavender. I also like to add a fruity fragrance oil that compliments the peppermint oil. 

Add the ingredients to your container, and cover with a lid. Since all of  the oils are non-perishable and act as a preservative, this mixture can keep for months. So try it, and let me know how you like it. Also, my mixture was inspired by Naptural85. You can see her video for the mixture here.

Do you have your own mixture that you use? Share your kitchen-made miracles in the comments below. And if you try this recipe, let me know how you like it.

Candice's Hair Diary: Return of the Mini Twists

Happy Monday!

Let me preface this by saying that these mini-twists were not my idea.  I was forced coerced nudged to revisit this style by Melissa. I had been considering the style prior to the suggestion, but I decided against it. My hair has gotten longer, and I thought that it would take entirely too long to install mini-twists.

The top right is the beginning. The top left is the finish line.

In short: I was wrong. It took nearly the same amount of time that it did the last time I did mini-twists. If I exclude the breaks I took during the install (to eat, talk on the phone, and choose movies on Netflix), I spent between 6.5-7 hours on my hair. BUT... I've had them in for 3 weeks. I still have about a week left before I take them out. I've curled them and I've washed them; even the wash and set process only took about 15-20 minutes. Hair in this protective style is very low maintenance, but even a protective style needs a little TLC to stay in tip top shape. I used water and aloe vera gel to moisturize. I followed that with coconut oil or shea butter to seal in the moisture.

Straightening my twists after curls was as easy as 1. wash, 2. condition, 3. pin

and set

My twists are definitely coming down this week. I've seen what can happen when you leave mini-twists in too long. I don't want to have to deal with the tangles and knots that come with twists that try to become locs. It's been a good ride so far. Also, my urge to cut my hair has been quenched. I've been wearing my twists either curled or slightly shrunken. I LOVE rocking shorter hair. Especially since I've been craving a cut and my face is slightly more "short hair compatible" lately.

Short hair and loving it. Results of a flexi-rod set on mini-twists

I've already said that I'd never do mini-twists again because 1.) They are so time consuming to install. 2.) My arms get tired. 3.) They are so time consuming. But truth be told, I spent 6.5 hours on my hair. Before it's done, I will have gotten a whole month of super low maintenance styling. I think that it's a fair trade. Actually I come out on top doing mini twists. So... yes. I wouldn't have done this style again without some urging from a friend. But I may do them again I might do them again before the length of my hair makes them a little less worth the time of the install. Plus... PLUS I got to rock hats during the winter. Big-haired naturals are all too familiar with the hat struggle. It seems small, but sometimes it's the little things that make it all worth while.

I'd say this is protective style is a win in the winter or summer. What's your favorite protective style?

Candice's Hair Diary: Winter Regimen

I know that it's been a while since I've done a hair diary. The hard part now that I'm back on track is that I have so much to say, and so little time to type it all. Basically, I've been having a big old love fest with my hair. It's been a lot of fun. I've been natural for years and sometimes I feel I'm just getting into the swing of things. I asked Melissa how I should set my natural anniversary. Is it the day I stopped getting relaxers, or is it the day I had all the remaining relaxed hair cut off? What do you think? Leave your answer in the comment section.

That day I tried something a little different... 

I've been wearing my hair slightly different to keep boredom at bay. I received this compliment from a fellow natural the day I wore a simple puff. It totally made my day. And the one time I let my hair not be so big for a couple of days, I fielded questions all day about my "haircut". Sometimes I played along, but mostly I would explain how some natural hair works, and then stretch a curl out so that they could see that all of my hair was there.

All day I got questions about my "haircut". I was very entertained.

So... I've been having the best hair days ever lately. My afro has been big and lush, my curls have been curly, and I've even seen a decrease in my single-strand knots. I really can't complain about the relationship between Khani and I. I treat her well and she returns the favor. My winter regimen is so easy! I wash my hair every 10 days or so. Right now, I'm very satisfied with Trader Joe's Nourish Spa Shampoo, or their Tea Tree Tingle Shampoo. I deep condition (which means I use regular conditioner with a plastic bag and a blow dryer) with every shampoo. I switch my conditioners often, but the same Trader Joe's brand conditioners or Carol's Daughter Chocolat conditioner have been staples for months now.

After washing and conditioning, I moisturize my wet hair with aloe vera gel and seal with a homemade shea butter mix. I retwist it most nights, and remoisturize with water, aloe, and shea butter. When the water doesn't make my hair come back to life, that's a sign that my hair has been coated with shea butter, and it's time to clean my hair again. Simple works for me. And it works really well. The styling that I get to do with Khani (my hair) has taken a turn for the better.

Listen... when I say my hair has been giving me everything lately?! It definitely has.

I've even started getting some shine back. I started off with shiny hair, and then all of a sudden it became a "low luster" brand of kinks and curls. It was something I noticed, but I didn't throw a fit over. I feel like I'm getting that old thing back. I really have no complaints with my big and cooperative hair lately. I've been wanting to get it straightened and maybe trimmed, so that's next on the to-do list. So far, it's been tolerating the winter blasts and dry artificial heat really well. I'm going to stick to my regimen until I find a reason not to.

Versatility. 2 days, 2 completely different styles.

I know Valentine's Day isn't for another month. But Khani and I have been sweethearts and I can't get over it just now. I should serenade her Keith Sweat "Make it Last Forever" song. (Don't judge me when there are people who talk to plants.) It's funny that this love fest began again once I reminded myself that "It's just hair." Go figure. 

There is room in this curly love circle. Got something nice or awesome to share about your hair? You can also share your winter hair care tips in the comment section.

ROOTS & RHYTHM: Goapele - "Closer"

2013 was a year of growth and change for Natural in Nashville.  We sent Toya love to begin a new chapter in hair and life and welcomed Amber as she experienced the same.

Melissa, Ashiya, Amber and Candice.

While Candice discovered some beautiful new ways to style her hair, I embraced new color and Amber experimented with both, I think Melissa's cut and color won.  Her cut allows you to see her personality a bit more: stylish and diverse. Curled or straight, we love Melissa's new do.

FabGlance Nashville

We fully believe Coco Chanel when she said, "A woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life". Today we honor our changes and our growth with "Closer" by Goapele, who recreated her look this year.

Goapele: Short and stunning.

Releasing her locs for a short, lighter look, allows her eyes and smile to shine through even more.  As we prepare for 2014, we hope that you had the opportunity to grow and change in ways that made you better physically, mentally and spiritually.  Sometimes, something as simple as changing your hair can do all three.

Goapele before her Big Chop.

If you're making changes to your hair for 2014, let us know!  Happy New Year from all of us at Natural in Nashville! 

                                           

Discussion: I Forgot My Headscarf

Are you a mobile natural who commonly forgets her headscarf or bonnet? It's a common thing for some of us, myself included. I've been traveling a lot lately. And when I'm not traveling, I often spend the night at my home away from home. Being on the go so much makes it incredibly easy to forget to bring some protection for my hair. Yes, I can go everywhere and leave all 5-7 of my scarves and bonnets at home.

It's easy to remember to pack a scarf if you are planning an overnight trip. But we all know some trips aren't planned. A late night out might mean you crash at a friend's place. A steady relationship could mean you sleep over your beau's house regularly. If you haven't done the logical thing and left a silk/satin scarf at a places where you frequently sleep over, here are a few helpful tips to protect your strands while you slumber.

Yes, this is my shirt on my pillow. It's a natural hair lifesaver!

Wearing a silky shirt? Put it over the cotton pillowcase. It's simple, right? Cotton is nice, but it doesn't play well with hair that is prone to dryness. So take that cute shirt off, and put it on or around your pillow. Cotton blends and softer fabrics make it easier to get a good night's sleep without worrying about morning hair. Softer fabric not only feels great on your skin, but it works wonders for keeping moisture in your hair at night. Get your money's worth out of that blouse. It can double as a pillowcase (or covering). It's definitely worth the trouble... unless your hair is full of oil and will permanently damage that silky shirt by morning. In that case, let the cotton soak some up of that grease. (Just kidding... kinda.)

Put your hair in a bun. Not just any bun. A high bun. Give yourself the highest bun you can manage. A bun on the top of your head, means that your ends are tucked up high. When sleeping, the top of your head is much safer than the sides or back of your head. These areas are usually exposed to much more friction while tossing and turning at night. Besides, once you've been natural for a while you quickly learn to keep a few elastic bands and bobby pins within arm's reach. It's a logical alternative if you don't have a scarf handy, and your hair is unfit to sleep on your soft, silky shirt. Or if your shirt is made out of wool.

Braid or twist your hair down. Okay. What if you didn't wear a shirt, and you don't have any elastic bands or pins? You take your two hands, and you twist or braid. You braid your hair down, and tuck those ends. But I don't want him to see me in braids! Well natural lady: 1. Him seeing you in braids is better than him seeing and hearing you try to untangle that matted mess in the morning. 2. Did you bring your water bottle and hair products? If you go out to breakfast/brunch, your hair will be off-balance ALL DAY. 3. You didn't even wear a shirt! You are well past the point of worrying about him seeing your nighttime braids!

So that's it. If you have a  problem remembering your headscarves or bonnets, we've given you three very easy options to save your hair. Being natural doesn't mean that you have to carry around a briefcase full of moisturizers and products for a 40 minute routine every night at bedtime. And you don't have to rush home at night like a curly Cinderella. But it does mean that sometimes you have to be a little creative when it comes to keeping your hair looking  in amazing condition.

Have you ever tried any of these ideas? What do you do when you forget your hair scarf?