University-bound!

Drum-roll please!

I am proud to announce that, as of August 2012, I became a university student! Woot woot!

I now studying for a B. Sc. Psychology, at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad, my home country. (Shout out to all my fellow West Indians! *waves Trini flag proudly*)







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I am so excited for the future!! Hall life is already fun and certainly a new experience. All these crazy people would certainly make an interesting a psychology study! lol

The fire and spirit of the Caribbean is certainly all around me. I really hope that meeting new people (while a terrifying experience) will help me to open up my shy personality.

Living on hall (aka dorm) made me think that I'd have to adapt my hair regimen significantly, but so far things have mostly stayed the same. I pre-poo overnight and shampoo, deep condition and rollerset on the days when I have no class.
At exam time I'll see how much my regimen will have to change. I hope I'll still have time for all my beauty rituals. :)

Being at university has also made me think about my personal development and maturity (those should have been the first points I discussed instead of my hair...right?) I know that I'm among the youngest students to be starting university and this fact is shaping up to be both an advantage and disadvantage.

Postively: I'm getting a head start with my future by aiming to obtain my degree within the next three years since I've graduated sixth form college.
(Note: sixth form college in the Caribbean is something like 12th grade in the US, except college has a two year duration and we sit different exams to the SAT. Also, most degrees at the UWI are three instead of the US four years. :) Its like making up for that extra year at sixth form!)

Negatively: I'm not quite sure that I have the same level of intellectual maturity as many of my colleagues. At many of my classes I'm like, "Oh gooshh why isn't my vocabulary like that?" Or "My gawwd can't I read between the lines?!" lol I guess university is the perfect time for me to focus on improving my err, "critical thinking and communication skills".....eek!

Another point- being underage sucks! I've got limits on the types of events I can attend, (not that I party!! Oh nooo *innocent face*) and of course, who wants to associate with the shrimp?? lol

Okay, rant over.

Despite all of that I am incredibly grateful to be here and I just have to push myself to infinity and beyond! to stay on top of my grades and personal relationships. It helps that I have family here in Trinidad to support me! =)

Even if I had no family. I've got Jesus!


Are you in college/university? How has the experience affected you? Any tips?

Oh the life of a
~Hatter!

Seems like everyone's doing the Big Chop!

Jill Scott

Last night on tumblr I saw this photo of (the beautiful) actress Jill Scott with......a Teenie Weenie Afro!!

That's not all...

...Look! More celebs with natural hair!
 

 

Viola Davis

You may recognize this actress, Viola Davis, who's starred in movies such as Doubt, The Help, Date Night and has guest-starred in Law and Order.

The before picture:

Sidenote: Now this lady hasn't always worn the most attractive wigs/weaves, (especially in her movies!) but this is one of the better hairstyles I've seen her worn.

Now we can't forget Solange, Beyonce's sister, who also transitioned to natural hair.

Solange Knowles

 

I wonder how many more African women in the spotlight are considering the Big Chop?

 

 

I was a bit surprised, but not shocked, at seeing Jill Scott's new hair 'do as so many women today are taking the plunge and going natural. 

What did shock me, however, was the sudden realization of how far the natural trend has reached.

Apart from celebrites, many normal, every-day girls and women are doing the Big Chop, or otherwise transitioning to natural.

All over popular hair sites (in fact, all over the internet!) like hairlista, blogspot, longhaircareforum and kiss there is a growing abundance of information about embracing and caring for natural hair. This has obviously inspired many girls and women alike to transition from their relaxed hair to their natural texture.

(source)

 

Can we say that there has been a revolution in the hair world? Certainly a major change is occurring, one which I appreciate and monitor with growing interest. Even in my sixth form college, this year at least three girls of my acquiantance took the plunge and did the Big Chop. With such social pressure to "go natural" I too was tempted to renounce my straigtened hair.

Natural hair, in all its textures, is beautiful. Its the hair God made us with! No one should feel inferior to another because of her curl pattern, or lack of thereof!

On the other hand, relaxed hair is beautiful too! Like natural hair, when it is adequately loved and nourished it thrives and can not only look healthy,but be healthy too.

For the present I can say that I still love and appreciate my straight hair, and I'm determined to reach my health and length goals. However, from the new surge in information and support for naturalistas, I can definitely see myself transitioning to natural hair in the future.

I think its important that if and when any lady decides to transition, she clearly knows her reasons for doing so, not just to follow a trend or "fit it". Without sacrificing the required time and effort natural hair can be the end of some women's natural journey!


Some naturalistas who inspire me:

All women with type 4C hair!

I personally have a natural texture somewhere along the lines of 4C, allowing me to rock a pretty awesome afro when I decide to return to natural hair. :)

Mae (naturalchica.com)

Laila-Jean (youtube.com/user/fusionofcultures)

Janelle Monae :)

What more can I say about this lady?? She's a bad-*ss singer, rocks amazing natural pompadours and her names is Janelle! Like meeeeee

 

Any thoughts on the Big Chop movement? How has it affected you? I hope this post was interesting/helpful!

'Tis all for the (not so) natural, (but happy!)
~Hatter

 

 

 

Softest, bouncy-est rollerset ever!

Last Sunday I washed my hair, and let me tell you, I had a blast!

On Wednesday 29th August I had my hair relaxed at a salon (stay tuned for my relaxer update!) at 8 weeks, 5 days post.
The major thing that struck me about my experience at the salon is that the lady didn't deep condition my hair after relaxing it. (Say WHAT?!)

It was only when she was rollersetting my hair that I realized this and asked her about it. She replied that I had to request a deep condition or she wouldn't do one. -.-
This explains why I was forced to make last Sunday a wash day, only four days after my relaxer.

I started by pre-pooing with the Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque, which I reviewed here as a deep conditioner. Although I didn't like it for deep conditioning because it gives no slip, in my opinion it's good as a pre shampoo treatment.

Anyway! On to the good stuff.

This week my rollerset was the best I've ever done! In the past I've hardly ever gotten the soft, bouncy, moisturized and shiny results as I did on Sunday, so I'm recording what I did for future reference:

  

• After pre-pooing, shampooing and deep conditioning I applied a generous dollop (about quarter sized or a bit larger) of my Neutrogena Silk Touch Leave-In Cream to each of the four sections that I washed and conditioned my hair in.
• I then applied about half a pump of my Organix Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum to each section of my hair. 
• I proceeded to detangle my hair and finally-
• Rollerset, using a small spray bottle filled with water to moisten my hair as I rollerset each section.
• After setting I used a blow-dryer on my hair for about an hour (taking a break in between! lol) to speed up my drying time

Et voila!

My hair was the bombbbbbb. Oh! Such soft and bouncy haaaaiiiirrrrr *swishes hair dramatically*
Plus!! Can you see from the picture above of how little hair I lost after detangling?! Ermergerddddd that's incredible! (I have a sneaking suspicion its only because I lost quite a bit of hair during my relaxer process with a new hair dresser...but maybe I'm just paranoid! =P)

I will definitely repeat the steps above on my next wash day! :) My results almost compensated for my nightmarish wash day experience the week before at 8 weeks post.

'Tis all for now!

(Forever)
~Hatter

Unfortunate wash day @ 8 weeks post: learning from my mistakes

 

On this last stretch I encountered increased breakage that I've never experienced past 6 weeks post since on my hair journey. During my last wash on Saturday at 8 weeks post, my hair emerged from the shower extremely tangled and matted! :( Unfortunately I didn't have my detangler on hand and so it took the better part of an hour to detangle. Even with my patience I ended up with a large ball of broken and shed hair! If that wasn't enough, I think my hair was starting to break at the demarcation line, something I've almost never experienced before. Grrrr

Looking back I can try to evaluate some possible causes of my unusual wash day experience:

• My regimen, even at 8 weeks post was exactly the same as at my first weeks post relaxer

I think this point may be the root of my problems. I've often read many relaxed ladies describe the changes they make to their regimen as they go deeper into a relaxer stretch. I know I should have adapted my regimen too, but honestly, ain't nobody got time for that! LOL 

Ok back to being serious....

I think that as my hair gets deeper into a stretch:

1. I may experience issues with porosity as my cuticles remained raised (from repeated airdrying) This increases the chance of my hair losing moisture faster, remaining in a weak state and thus snapping and breaking off. 
2. I need to condition more often. Co-washing mid-week may help restore precious moisture to the line of demarcation between my natural and relaxed hair, helping to restore elasticity and prevent breakage. 
3. My hair needs. more. protein. Now its a proven fact that my hair loves protein! I definitely think that from 7 weeks post and onwards I should use the Organic Root Stimulator Hair Mayonnaise to deep condition weekly. This conditioner has more protein than my weekly staple conditioner (ORS Replenishing Conditioner) 
4. From 6 weeks post I repeatedly had my hair braided, (cornrowed) several times a weeks. Although the manipulation done to create this style might have increased my breakage slightly, I'm inclined to think that the first three points made my issues worse. 

I'm going to try to make a conscience effort to adapt my regimen as I go deeper into my relaxer stretches. Using the points above, I'll draft a new regimen, post it and evaluate its effectiveness at preventing (and stopping!) any potential breakage, tangles and knots at 8 weeks post relaxer. 

How do you adapt your regimen during your relaxer stretches?

'Tis all for now!

Hatter

Hair journey progress! : The Evolution of my Wash Day

The purpose of a hair journey is to make significant progress towards one's hair goals: whether health, length or both. I can happily say that I have experienced noticeable, positive changes in my hair since the beginning of my hair journey. One of these areas is how I wash and condition my hair and my subsequent results.

At the start of my journey in December 2011 I could not successfully wash, condition and dry my hair. (Sounds incredible, I know!) Wash days were literally an experiment- I tried various methods and tweaked my variables in the hope that I would find what worked for my hair!

Some characteristics of my previous wash process:

1. I washed all of my hair at once (i.e. I had never heard of washing in sections)
2. Following from number 1, my scalp was never properly cleansed in my crown area (eww)
3. Washing all my hair at once led to tangles, tangles and more tangles! (Much more than now!)
4. Airdrying was not good for my hair back then. When I say "not good" I mean that my hair wasn't healthy enough to withstand airdrying in a loose state. Looking back, I think I had issues with porosity and raised cuticles as my hair would dry like a lion's mane, and twice it took over 12 hours for my hair to fully dry.
5. My rollersets were fit to be laughed at...Seriously. In the beginning I would fumble and place two or three rollers before giving up, exasperated. 

Some characteristics of my present wash process:

1. I now wash my hair in four sections, focusing on shampooing each one seperately before moving on to the next section.
2. Washing in sections ensures that my entire scalp is cleansed.
3. Using sections also leads to less tangles as the hair is parted, allowing my fingers to access my scalp easier and disturb my hair less.
4. I can now airdry without my hair crying and begging for mercy (yay!). Now my cuticles lay smooth and my hair dries flatter in about 2-3 hours. I definitely attribute this to the general improvement in my hair's health, the new techniques I've adopted and using products more suited to my hair.
5. I can rollerset! (woop woop!) It took three or four desperate efforts before I could rollerset my entire head. For the past five or so weeks I've been consistently airdrying because I'm lazy it's easier and quicker. However, today is wash day and I'm eager to set my hair.

I feel encouraged when I can look back and notice improvements in my hair's health. "Health before length" is what many black ladies prophesy and I'm definitely eager to see my growth and length retention increase as my hair's health also increases.

What progress have you made in your hair journey? Write it down and track how it further improves in the near future as you continue to take stellar care of your hair. =)

Ta ta!

~Hatter