Featured Curlie - Angela

 Angela is an inspiration not only as a Curlie, but also spiritually and physically. She has a such positive attitude while living with her disability. It's my pleasure to feature her. Thanks for being a part of my blog Angela!!!

Name: Angela Njoku     

Hometown: Halifax, Nova Scotia

First year of curlieness: 1996

Why I went curlie: When I was sixteen, my hair was straightened with a chemical relaxer.  As I got older, I found the relaxer chemicals to be too harsh for my fine hair.  By the time I was twenty-five, I noticed that the colour of my hair was changing to a coppery almost blonde colour at some parts.  I figured that this was a sign of damage to the hair and possibly to my scalp.  I decided to go natural.  I waited until I grew about a centimeter of natural hair under the relaxed hair, and then went to a salon and had the relaxed hair chopped off.  The hairstylist was tentative about cutting off my hair because my hair was shoulder length at the time.  But when it was cut to an afro, I felt refreshed and rejuvenated.  As time went by, I noticed that my hair became stronger and healthier.

I kept my hair in a very short style that framed my face (about half a centimeter in length) for about five years before deciding to grow it out.  My biggest challenges with being natural were finding products for natural hair, finding a hairstylist who was skilled in handling natural hair, and figuring out different ways to style my hair. 

Seven years ago, my health deteriorated to the point that I became disabled.  I thank God that my hair was natural at the time because I became too sick to visit a salon or do my hair myself; if I still had the relaxed hair I would have had to cut it all off.  But I receive home care, and my home support worker has been taking care of my hair for me among other things.  For the last five years she has washed, combed, styled and occasionally trimmed my hair when I couldn’t do it myself.  She visits twice a month, and I manage my hair the rest of the time. Thank God that my health is turning around now, so I am able to do a little more with my hair and occasionally get out to a salon for a trim and conditioning treatment. The reason why I mention this is to encourage anyone who is considering going natural.  If I can keep my hair natural while dealing with a disability, you can do it!

Angela with a cornrow braidout.

Regime and products:
The frequency in which I wash my hair is based on its length and how my scalp feels.  It’s a little bit longer than shoulder length now, so it is washed twice a month.  (But when it was very short, I had to wash it every 2 days, and when it was chin length it had to be washed once a week.)  If I wash it too often, it becomes dry and my scalp itches.

Presently, I am using a natural shampoo called Hygenic, made by local hairdresser, Pauline Patten-Bailey of Hy-Style Beauty Care here in Halifax (website coming soon; see below for more information).  Pauline has developed a line of natural hair care products called Bailey Hair Care Products.   When I became disabled, I could no longer comb my thick hair.  But I discovered Bailey‘s Curl In Curl Out, which softens my hair so that it is a little easier for me to comb. I apply it every six months. 

One of Angela's favourite products from her stylist Pauline Patten-Bailey.

I also use Bailey‘s Bedew, a leave-in conditioner, after washing and as a daily moisturizer.  I use natural Shea Butter as a scalp and hair moisturizer.  It was given to me by a friend, but can be purchased in stores. The Shea Butter prevents my scalp from going dry and flaky during the winter months.  It also produces fantastic results when my hair is flat ironed.

I try not to fuss with my hair with too much combing, heat or product.  If it’s not dry or tangled but is soft and shiny, I know that all is well, so I leave it alone.  If not, I add moisturizer, condition it or use less heat on my hair.  (I try not to flat iron more than three times in one month.)  I make sure to get it trimmed every two months to prevent hair breakage and tangling at the ends. I also maintain a healthy diet, and try to eat carrots regularly to encourage a healthy scalp and hair growth.

Angela's wash-n-go look.

The best part of being curlie for me is: I like variety, so I have been one to change my hairstyle frequently. I love curly hair, because of the fact that it can be styled in many different ways with relative ease. It can be in its natural state or afro, locked, twisted, flat twisted, braided, flat ironed, straightened with thread, corn-rowed, you can add extensions to it, and so on.  Also, undoing a hairstyle (like twists or corn-rows) can create another hairstyle. An added bonus, I find, is that that curly hair (mine is quite curly) can hold a hairstyle for a long time, so it does not have to be changed every day if one wants to keep a style for a few days or weeks. My home support worker gives me a style that will last for two to four weeks.

One challenge about being curlie is that, no matter what style it is in, once my hair gets wet, damp or is exposed to humidity, it reverts to its natural curl.  I’ve lost a few hair dos after sweating or taking a bath!

Maintaining my hair in its natural state has been considerably less expensive than in those days when I used a chemical straightener, which to me, is another big bonus and reason why I have stayed natural all of these years.  Last, but not least, my hair is healthy, I am happy with it, and it looks better than ever!  That is the reason why I wanted to go natural in the first place: to have healthy hair that I could feel good about.

For you Canadian Curlies in Halifax, Pauline’s hair salon is located at 349A Herring Cove Road, Halifax; telephone 902.431.0556.

Wonderful Shea

First of all let me apologize for the hiatus. My husband and I have been crazy busy selling our house and buying a new one, not to mention upgrading furniture and trying to get rid of the gently used stuff. So as you can imagine, my life turned into a small zoo. I’m still in the mist of everything, but I had to give some props to me old stand-by RAW SHEA BUTTER!

One of my favourite brands of shea butter, found in most Black Beauty Supply stores.

As of late, I have been dealing with a flare up of dermatitis, which has not been fun, but I won’t get into that right now. Needless to say, I’ve taken a minimalist approach for three reasons:

-          My hair needs some extra love;

-          Lack of time;

-          When dermatitis is lurking, my scalp/hair does not like new unknown products.

So I have been shampooing regularly, adding my leave-in and styling with raw shea butter only! I find people either love or hate shea butter. Well, I’m a LOVER. It seals in moisture like nobody’s business, in my opinion. Yes, there are other oils and butters that can do the trick, but for me shea butter works best. So I do not think it will ever be out of my regular rotation of products.

What are your thoughts about shea butter?

Straight Up

In the 19^th century a law was passed to allow slaves to attend church and socialize with each other. It also became the day women used to take care of their tress. As mentioned in the previous entry The arrival of doom slave were starting to use axle grease and hot butter knives to straighten their hair. They began to envy the straight hair that their slave master’s wives had and although it was a form of self-hate, it also show how slave were ingenious and very creative. 

The chemical lye, that was and still is in some cases used in hair relaxers.

The natural afro texture of their hair was being frowned upon and the slaves soon started mixing a concoction of lye (a toxin also known as sodium hydroxide) and potato. This was put directly on the scalp to straighten the hair shaft and then rinse with water and a neutralizing agent.  Although the process gave the slaves the desired straight hair, it did not come without a price. The caustic solution burned the skin instantly and usually left the person with severe scabs and abrasions on their scalp.




Over the years, the market grew for those of African descent to straighten their hair, even though the process was extremely dangerous and sometimes painful. In fact, in the mid-19^th century it was against the law in New Orleans to be seen wearing their natural hair. It had to be hidden with a wig or wrapped in a scarf.  

Madam C.J. Walker before and after using her product. I liked her puffy bangs. :-)

This new business was booming and in the beginning was dominated by whites, soon African Americans: Madam C.J. Walker, Garrett Augustus Morgan, Sara Spencer and others invented applications to remove or change the curl pattern of afro-textured hair.  Although, I personally do not think the invention of hair relaxers was a positive one, I cannot ignore the great entrepreneurism that occurred. The determination is something we all should be proud of.



Your hairstyle also fit you into a social class that had developed in the 1800s and early 1900s. If you had straight hair you were considered to be classy and affluent and those who wore traditional African styles such as braids or cornrows were considered to be poor and low-class.
 
It’s interesting to note that although the first relaxers in the 19^th Century were much cruder than the ones now used in present day some of the side-effects still remain, scalp burns, scabs and in severe cases relaxers can cause dermatitis and alopecia.
 
If you could go back to the 1800s, do you think you would you straighten your hair to fit in?

Blessings and Curls,
B-Curlie

Product Review - Whip Coil Cream

About a month ago, my husband and I started a major clean and decluttering as we prepared to stage our house for selling. In the process, my beloved electric mixer landed in storage. I was devastated and to be honest, I still am a little bit.

The main reason for my devastation was the fact that I was due to make my whipped shea butter, but it’s impossible to get the right consistency without a mixer…at least for me anyway.

I ended up at my neighbourhood Black Beauty Supply store (BBS), searching for a something to set and twist my hair with, since I had also ran out of my supply of Hair Love (need to re-order). I also thought of my readers, It’s was time for another product review.

I found Roots of Nature Remedies® for Natural Hair Butter Whip Coil Cream™. It was only $7.99 for a 6.1 oz jar. I figured it was pretty cheap not to contain drying alcohol, mineral oil, petrolatum or parabens. So I picked it up. Not to mention it also contains mango oil and cupuacu butter. I love everything mango, but the cupuacu was new to me.

Product description: With Mango Oil and Brazilian Cupuacu Butter (6.1 oz.) Found in the heart of the Amazon Rain Forest , moisturizing Cupuacu (coo-poo-wah-soo) Butter has for generations been the secret of Brazilians for beautiful hair. Combined with softening Mango Oil, our Butter Whip Coil Cream deeply nourishes and conditions to stretch and define each coil with just the right amount of hold for twists, braid-outs, and TWA’s (teeny weeny afros). Dull, shrunken coils are transformed into lasting, soft, elongated, shiny coils. Hair Types: Relaxed, Natural, Color Treated, and Over-Processed Hair

Ingredients: Aqua (Water) , Glycine Soja Oil (Soybean Oil) , Butyrospermum Parkii Butter (Shea Butter) , Cetearyl Alcohol , Glycerin , Polysorbate 20 , Cetyl Alcohol , Behentrimonium Methosulfate , BIS-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2 , Butylene Glycol , Mangifera Indica Seed Oil , Mango Seed Oil , Theobroma Grandiflorum (Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter) , Phenoxyethanol , Fragrance , Lecithin , Quaternium-33 , Hexyl Cinnamal , Sorbic Acid , VP , Dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate Copolymer , Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride , BHT , Geraniol , Limonene , Caramel , Methylisothiazolinone , Linalool , Benzyl Alcohol , 2-Oleamido-1 , 3-Octadecanediol

Here is the bottom line, it works pretty good on my 4A - 4B tress. I love the smell and the consistency is creamy. I used it on wet and dry twist outs and I liked the results on both styles. The twists were defined and my hair felt soft and moisturized. I will definitely continue to use this product and keep it as a go-to styler. It does not top my whipped shea butter or Hair Love, but when I want something that has a light texture and is inexpensive I will think of the Whip Coil Cream.

Have you tried this product? What are your thoughts or does something else work for you?

Blessings and Curls,

B-Curlie

Featured Curlie - Shereen South

Name: Shereen South

Hometown: Jamaican (raised in Scarborough)

First year of curlieness: August 2011

Shereen with relaxed hair

Why I went curlie: Well to be honest I didn’t plan on going back to my natural state. About a year prior to embracing my natural hair, my permed hair was acting up. I was losing hair at a rate that was not normal, so I went under braids. After three months I took the braids out permed my hair again only to have the same issues happen...and this time worse! At that point I went back under the braids this time for a longer period. One August day I was looking at my braids and knew it was time for a redo ... but I was SICK of the braids...did I say SICK? MADD! Something lead me to call my sister girl who is natural and asked her who does her hair etc. She gave me her stylist contact information and I made the call. I was nervous about this new look that I haven't seen since I was 12 years old. I thought alot about what people would say how my workplace would react,  but when I BC'd August 13^th,  2011, I fell in love with myself I believe for the first time ever - I couldn't believe how good I looked! I didn't care who didn't like it, but funny enough I was embraced by all. Even my Dad was all for me going natural. I can honestly say that I was unaware of how MANY naturals out there until after I chopped. I feel as though my going back to natural was a spiritual awakening for me!

Shereen rocking her braids

Regime and products: My hair regime and the products I use are simple. I learned very quickly that oils are one of the key products for healthy hair. Castor oil is an oil that I use in all that I do. I use it in my hot oil treatment which I mix with EVOO and Vatika coconut oil. I also use castor oil when I am sealing my hair. I wash my hair weekly and cowash once or twice a week. I use Kinky Curly Shampoo and Kinky Curly Not Today Leave-in Conditioner for my weekly washes. I use Hello Hydration from Herbal Essence to co-wash, I also use Giovanni Leave-in after I co-wash. I alternate weeks of either deep conditioning (a homemade mix of mayo egg and honey) or I will do a hot oil treatment. I always apply the LOC method after washing or co-washing, this method aids in retaining the moisture in my hair, as my hair is all type 4’s. I NEED as much moisture as I can get. I also use Henna once or twice a month for strengthening and conditioning and not to mention to cover up my greys. Every night I spritz my hair lightly with Rosewater & Glycerin and re-twist. At the end of the day I believe and follow the rule of do what works for your hair and LISTEN to your hair!

Shereen posing at the iHEARTmyHAIR photo shoot

The best part of being curlie for me is: Knowing that I am truly loving all that God gave me … NO LYE! One small change can impact your life going natural has also caused me to become more aware of what I am putting in my body. Natural hair truly ROCKS!

Blessings and Curls, 

B-Curlie