Beauty and the Kinks: Keeta

You love her and I do too, this week's natural beauty is the fabulous Keetaray!

Where are you from and and is the natural scene prominent?

I am from Philadelphia, PA. However, I didn't go natural until moving to Maryland (I love right outside of Washington, D.C.). The natural scene is very prominent here. I feel right at home. I'd guess that about 40-50% of the people here have natural hair.

What inspired you to become natural? Did you transition, long term or short term?
Many things influenced me to go natural... Part of it was self-acceptance, another part of me seriously disliked how my hair was thinning out and just not as healthy as it was. And then I always admired those with natural hair, I wanted that big, fluffy, healthy hair! Now I have it :-)

What kind of reactions have you had since becoming natural?
I would say that about 99% of the reactions I'VE WITNESSED have been positive. My mom has issues with my hair and has made comments, and one guy made a smart comment when I first cut my hair, but other than that I've gotten all positive feedback. Cutting my hair off and "starting from scratch" gave me a confidence I didn't know I had. I LOVE it!

Whats your regimen?
I co-wash once a week, usually using Herbal Essence Hello Hydration. I do twist outs the majority of the time. After co-washing, I detangle in small sections, apply shea butter & coconut oil to that section, and twist and pin up. I do this to my entire head while my hair is damp. Let it air dry overnight, take it out in the morning and style. After this, during the week at nighttime, I will just sleep in a statin bonnet. I may retwist every 2-3 days if I feel I want more definition.

What advice would you give to those thinking of becoming natural?
I would say BE PATIENT. The growth will come, just focus on taking care of your hair and being gentle with it. Simplicity is best, don't over-manipulate. Also, DO YOUR RESEARCH. There are so many resources!! Various blogs and forums, and let's not forget YouTube. The ENTIRE time I transitioned I was researching natural hair. It helped a great deal and because of that I've have very little, if any, frustrations with my hair since going natural. It's been pretty easy, because I prepared myself.

Relaxed

BC

What has been the best thing about your hair journey thus far?
My confidence went up, and it's honestly just so easy! I wouldn't get a relaxer again for ANYTHING

Black Guy Hatin on Natural hair

In this convo on a facebook status some guy decided to make a negative informed statement that was uncalled for check it out


Natalie: Natural hair is sooo BEauTifuLL!!Sat at 7:31pm · Comment · Like / Unlike3 people like this.


Biannica: YES!!!!

Natalie:  I love seeing the different things people do with their hair, waves/curls,& color. All of that just makes me love and appreciate this beauty that God has naturally given me

Chantel:  Yes Ma'am!!!! I love it!

Kevin: the hell it isn't!!!!!

Natalie:  NEGRO!! No one asked you!!!

Kevin:  So, my comment still counts. (Natural hair=Ugly). smh.

Chantel: Poor misquided black male, he can't even appreciate the multifaceted beauty of his sisters. Must be a reflection of his own self loathing

Kevin:  whoa, excuse me. I Love All Sisters And Women of ANY Color. I'm Not misguided and I love myself not loathe. I just Think that young black females shouldn't cut off all their hair. It doesn't look good; I wouldn't want to date a female and her hair is shorter than mine!!!

Chantel:  Soooo just because a woman has short, healthy, unprocessed hair she's unattractive. Soooo in your eyes having hair longer than yours no matter the condition is attractive. Interesting, whatever works for you good luck

Natalie:  Kevin, Natural doesn't mean its short. It can be and it can be long short. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I love my hair and if you don't feel the same I could care less. I was just letting people know how I felt and didn't ask for negativity.

Natalie:  It can be long or short. Its just doesn't have CHEMICALS in it. I can straighten my hair if I like to look like what you think is "beautiful".

*the guy went on to say that he's spoken with the "consensus" of black men and they all think the same thing natural hair equals ugly (smh hahahaha).  And apparently ladies this guy says that all guys are really doing when they tell that with look beautiful with our natural coils is feeding into our low self esteem smh.  I honestly feel sorry for this "boy" who apparently has been exposed to some other fake little "boys".  I have had nothing but positive feedback from men of all races and regardless of what this fool said I know Im beautiful and so are you.  I will not hold my head down in shame because I chose to rock a twa, twistout, fro, frohawk or whatever.  I am a queen and so are you

here are my final comments via facebook to ol boy
Chantel:  Sorry to tell you that you are sadly mistaken sir and do you know the major consensus of black males? Didn't think so. Speak for yourself and not others. Im natural and even when I cut my hair off last year black guys still found me attractive and even men from other races.


Chantel:  Wow I cant believe that one person could be so narrow-minded so you believe anything another dude tell you yet you have not questioned every male in the world to make your arguement valid so with that said you do you and please dont parade your ignorant assumptions on others. Your wasting your time and energy trying to discuss something you obviously have no clue about. Regardless of what you say I know the truth based on my own experiences. and furthermore why did you feel the need to comment on a status that was upllifting and positive and bash it. Are you that thirsty for attention that you just go around being negative to get a rise out of people? Sorry to say I will not give the the satisfaction any longer. Peace

Wet Seal Clearance sale

Yesterday me and the roomie went out for some retail therapy (much needed).  We stopped at the mall and went into Wet Seal to find that they had 50% of all sweaters and clearance items were $5 for $20, and yes thats for accessories just not shoes.  Head over there before all the good stuffs gone especially my college girls on a budget out there ;)

Why is "Nappy" a bad word????

!!!!Warning this may become an excessive rant, but in the words of my friend Jenny..I do what I want!!!

Earlier this week I decided that I was going to let my hair ADD get the best of me and start taking down a few of my yarn twists.  My guy friend came over to study with me for a while and turns out he's doing a paper about  non-traditional beauty standards in African American women. (Sighs)  That is such a good topic to me, needless to say he began picking my brain about why I wear my hair the way I do, btw he loves my hair.  I ended my diss about my hair by saying "I love my nappy hair."  He touched the piece of hair that I had taken down already and said no you dont you have good hair.  (Rolls eyes)  That wouldn't have been a bad thing if he meant that my hair was healthy, but I could tell he was referring to the texture of my hair and not it's condtion.  Im not goog at typing my hair but I know Im a 4 something lol and that's not what most people consider "good" hair. 

This pass week I have come across a few girls that love the way I wear my hair, but claim that they have "nigga" hair, or that I have good hair so I can rock the styles I do easily.  Not!!! I love my hair and I appreciate the texture, I wouldn't care if someone called it nappy, in fact I might even see it as a compliment.  I think the problem comes when people mean it in a hurtful way and turn a word that simply means tightly curled or coiled into something derogatory.  Even my ex said that my hair isnt "nappy" it's manageable.  WTF, thats anyone's hair, if you take the time to learn to properly care for it.  Whether your hair has big juicy loose curls, is straight, or kinkier than lamb's wool.  Deal with it learn to take care of what you got. 

Why is it that other races walk around with their natural hair textures all the time, but when we (AA's) do it we're making some kind of political statement. That truly baffels me, if God gave me this hair that can mold into any shape, reach for the sky, and be straight or curly why would I want to give that up just so I can look like someone Im not.  (Not bashing those that do wear relaxers or weaves) I just feel that you should love yourself first and then decide what works for you, don't do it just to fit in and look like everybody else, it's overrated. 

Back to that nappy stuff and the baseline of my rant

There's nothing wrong with referring to your hair as nappy, the problem lies within us still wanting to conform to European standards of beauty that dont hold out natural kinks in high regard.  I love that my hair is tightly coiled and kinky.  It bounces back from being twisted our braided, is soft to the touch, and makes me stand out wherever I go.  No one can tell me that's not a beautiful thing, and God knew what he was doing when he made us this way.  Don't look down on your kinks because of what others say, empower yourself and know that you are all beautiful queens.  (Takes deep breath)

Until next time...
Stay nappy, Stay happy!

Beauty and the Kinks: Mia

Good morning and thank you so much for inviting me to be a spotlight on your blog. My pleasureJ

Where are you from and whats the natural scene like there?
I am originally from Fayetteville, NC but have been moving around my whole life due to the fact that my father was in the Army. Although I was born in Fayetteville, I dint really live there for too long. I mostly grew up in predominately Caucasian schools; so of course, the natural scene was pretty much non existent. Im not sure if I even knew what being “natural” was for a long time.


What inspired you to become natural?  Did you transition long term or short term?

During my years in college my relaxed hair went from good to bad very quickly from over processing and neglect. It began to become very damaged and it started breaking off. In July of 2006 I decided to cut it all off and start over again. My intentions at first was to go natural long enough to get some healthy hair on my head, and then I would relax it again. Until then though, I just decided to wear braids. My transition was short term of course because I immediately cut all of my perm ends off as opposed to growing it out.

What kind of reactions have you had since becoming natural?

The reactions from my friends, family, co workers and strangers have, for the most part, been VERY positive. Everyone I come across seem to really appreciate and admire my hair in its natural state and that makes me feel goodJ Every now and again, I may get a look or a stare from someone who doesn’t really get it, but certainly not enough to make me want to change.

What's your regimen?
I don’t really have a regimen that I stick with consistently. I have come to learn that with my hair, its best for me to switch up the routine every now and then. I will say that I do a lot of moisturizing with shea butter and coconut oil. I also do a lot of braid outs and twists. When I choose to do straight looks I make sure that I use a heat protectant and always wrap with a silk scarf at night. I think that each natural is different and has to find what works for her/his kinks and curlsJ

What advice would you give to someone thinking about becoming natural?

My advice to women/men who are thinking of becoming natural is to first know that being natural isn’t for everyone!!!! Please know your hair first before making this decision. Know that you do not have to be natural in order to have healthy hair. Healthy hair exists in both natural and relaxed states you jus need to know HOW to care for it. After you have seriously thought it through, EMBRACE it!!! Be proud to be a natural and sport the look with confidence, whether you have a blow out, locs, afro or twists. Most importantly, take care of it. Hair is hair no matter what state its in and needs to be cared for. If you are uneducated about being natural or transitioning, visit a salon that offers natural hair care and speak to a professional/specialist about your hair. Lastly, ENJOY it!!! Natural hair is very fun and very versatile!!! It can be worn straight, curly, blown out, in a fro, updo, etc.

What has been the best thing about becoming natural for you?
The best thing about going natural for me is the versatilityJ I can go big and bold one day and then straight as a perm the next day if I wanted(without having a perm). I love being able to switch up my looks from week to week. I get bored with one style so having the ability to try different looks is the best thing for me!

Beauty and the Kinks: Olivia

Where are you from and and is the natural scene prominent?
I'm from Ottawa, ON Canada. There are a few naturals, but not that many, because if being natural was the norm in the Nation's Capital people wouldn't be staring at my hair daily!

How long have you been natural?
I've been natural my entire life. Although, from Grade 6 to graduating from High School in Grade 12 my hair was either in braid extensions or weaves. I stopped wearing fake hair in December 2009. On January 27, 2009 I chopped off all my damage hair (split ends, heat damaged pieces and limp hair) it was about 5 1/2 inches of hair that got cut. I am finally on my natural hair journey and this coming January will make it ONE YEAR OF BEING NATURAL!

What is the weirdest thing that someone has asked you about your hair?
"Is that yours?" I didn't want to answer that question; especially coming from a black woman. My hair was styled in a braid out and was blowing in the wind like crazy. She was staring at my hair so hard (probably looking to see a track) Usually when I do braid outs they come out a bit wavy. So, I suppose she believed it was a wavy hair weave and even had the nerve to ask me if it was. Then she went on to ask me what I did to get that look. The bus came so I didn't get a chance to reply and as I said I truly didn't want to talk about my hair to her, I felt so violated because she asked those questions in such a rude manner.

Whats your regimen?
Shampoo 1x a week with Kiss My Face Whenever or Giovanni Triple Tea Tree Treat
Deep Condition in twists under a hooded dryer 1x a week with Ultra Black Hair Deep Conditioner
Moisturize Daily with Ultra Black Hair Lotion Creme Moisturizer
Style 1x a week with Miss Jessie's Curly Pudding or MJ Curly Meringue or Blended Beauty Curly Frizz Pudding or BB Curl Styling Butter
Spray hair (w/ water) Daily
Intensive Deep Conditioner every 2 months -> That's using Jamila Henna for me!

What advice would you give to those thinking of becoming natural?
Enjoy it! Don't worry if your hair doesn't look like so and so, just love yours. Your hair will come out and look the way it wants to be, you just have to accept it and embrace it. Don't obsess over length, within years, it will come. Being natural is not easy, especially with our society and their standards of beauty, you have to be strong, hold your head up high and say "this is my beauty, I am beautiful just the way I am!" Once you start believing in yourself no one can tell you otherwise! Also, you have to understand that being natural is so much fun. With all the beautiful hair styles, I don't know why more people aren't all natural! :)

Are you pro natural, if so why?
No, if people want to be natural then they choose to be, if not, I can't force you. It's a personal choice, very personal.

Thanks for your time girl, and for featuring me! <3

Soooo I broke up with the bf recently (like two weeks ago yikes) and I'm feelin really confident about being single again. I guess it's because I wasnt really in love with the guy that it was so easy for me to give up the relationship. My bad we weren't really relating to each other so I wouldn't exactly call it a relationship. But I feel like I don't to get close to anyone right now because Im focused on school and my job, among other things. I've been doing hair more frequently which is a surprise to me, last year I barely had any clients. Thats another reason why I want to keep experimenting with braids this winter to showcase my work. People are still so shocked that I take time to braid my own hair but I like to think of it more as therapy. When Im focused on my hair and finishing the task at hand it takes me away from the physical world and allows me time to get my mind right. Don't misunderstand me it can be tiring but I feel so proud when I achieve my goal. As far as guys go I meet some interesting ones here and there, but I don't want to give them to think that I wanna get with them or something like that. As of now I'm officially just chilln and when I say chilln I mean no friends with benefits, no feelings of atttachment, no I love you's, no I wanna be your girl none of that. If anyone comes around that I happen to be interested in I guess we'll just see how it goes until then keep reading, subscribe to the youtube channel (Channyboo9023), and leave comments please I'd love to hear some feedback (dances like Janet) from my seven followers ;).

Stop by Wednesday for the next Beauty and the Kinks girl: Olivia

Stay nappy, Stay happy
Chan