Natural Hair Terminology

Being a natural can be very difficult at times so I put together a list of frequently used terms that may help you on your natural Hair Journey.

1. ACV: Apple Cider Vinegar



2. BC (Big Chop)

o Cutting off relaxed ends to reveal the natural texture of the hair.

3. Buds

o First stage in locking. Small, sections that will eventually grow out and become actual dreadlocks.



4. Clarify

o Shampoo product build up from hair using shampoo containing a sulfate/detergent and/or a wash containing baking soda, apple cider vinegar.


5. Co-Wash (Conditioner Wash)

o Washing hair with conditioner. No shampoo needed or wanted! Just rinse the hair with water and then wash hair with a conditioner.

6. Cones

o Term for any silicone related ingredient you might find in hair or skin care. Ingredients most often end in c-o-n-e.


7. Cone-free

o Products that contain no silicone related ingredients

8. Creamy crack

o Most commonly known as a perm, relaxer, or lye.

9. Curl definition

o Getting individual curly/wavy strands to clump enough for the curl/wave pattern of the hair to be evident; many separate clumps as opposed to all the curls merging together in one piece.



10. Denman

o A brush series that is used widely among the natural hair community to help define their natural curls.


11. DC/DT

o Deep Conditioning or Deep Treatment. This is typically done for 20 minutes to overnight, depending on personal preference.



12. Essential Oils

o Volatile liquids extracted from plant materials by steam distillation or expression, which contain the characteristic plant aroma. Unlike fixed plant oils (such as olive oil), essential oils evaporate at room temperature and do not leave an oily residue on the skin.

13. EVOO extra virgin olive oil


14. Hair Lengths

o EL- Ear Length

o NL-Nape Length

o SL- Shoulder Length

o APL- Arm pit Length )

o MBL- Mid back Length

o WL- Waist Length

15. Henna

o Used most often for adding color, shine, and increasing hair health. A natural product, chemical free.


16. No-poo

o Washing method that does not involve the use of shampoo for example: co-washing is a type of no-poo method

17. Panty-hose bands

o Hair bands made from cutting up laundered panty hose into 1/2 inch strips. They are used in place of regular rubber bands. They are snag free and hair friendly.


18. PJ :Product Junkie


19. Regimen

o A product/hair routine done continuously

20. Sealing

o Sealing is essentially “sealing” in moisture. Following the application of a moisturizer, moisture is sealed in typically with an oil or serum.

21. Shea Butter

o Butyrospermum parkii. Moisture-rich butter obtained from the nuts of the Mangifolia tree in Central Africa, also known as karite butter or African butter. A superb emollient, high in fatty acids and other nutrients, it is an ideal ingredient for skin moisturizers, sun care products and hair conditioners.

22. Shingling

o A technique to promote curl definition and elongation. Involves applying stylers to soaking wet hair in small sections, combing through with a fine toothed comb, and smoothing each section between thumb and forefinger. Hair is set to dry under a hood dryer, and when completely dry, the curls are stretched further by holding the hair taut under a hot blow-dryer.


23. Shrinkage

o General loss of appearance of length in curly hair, due to the coiling of the strands. Also tightening of the curl, usually due to water content of environment/product, resulting in shorter looking hair


24. Transition

o Refers to the transition from relaxed to natural hair whether you did by the big chop, braids, twist outs, wigs etc...

25. TWA

o Teeny Weeny Afro A result of a Big Chop after a short transitioning stage


Newly Added

Dreadlocks, also called locks or dreads, are  matted coils of hair which form by themselves or with the help of hair products. This is possible in all hair types if the hair is allowed to grow naturally without grooming or conditioning for a  period of time.
Coil: to form rings, spirals, etc.; gather or retract in a circular way.

Kinks: a short twist, curl, or bend in a thread, rope, hair, wire, etc.

Bentonite Clay:Bentonite, also referred to as Montmorillonite, is one of the most effective and powerful healing clays used to treat both internal and external maladies. Bentonite can be used externally as a clay poultice, mud pack or in the bath and, in skin care recipes. Internally it can be added to water or glazed upon food to help those with sensitive palates. A good quality Bentonite should be a grey/cream color and anything bordering "pure white" is suspect. It has a very fine, velveteen feel and is odorless and non-staining. The type of bentonite offered by Mountain Rose herbs is a Sodium Bentonite.

Haiti Weighing Heavy On My Heart

The disaster in Haiti has been a true eye opener for me. After all the new reports and television coverage and radio discussions going on, I felt obligated to write this blog topic. I was listening to the radio on my drive in to work this mourning when I heard the topic of the day on my local radio station here in Michigan asking the question to its listeners : should the united states give aid to Haiti for the disaster relief efforts? This was due to the announcement from president Obama said we would give 1 million dollars." I felt ashamed to be an American by all the tons of callers who called in to the station stating the same old lines " we have problems here in the United states and in Michigan we should help our own."


After call after call I began to ask myself Whatever happen to brotherhood and sisterhood? Is this Americas test from God to see what we will would do to help another even though we have our own problems? I know first hand that things are great right now in Michigan and in other parts of the united states but compared to the everyday life situation in Haiti we have it pretty darn good. It was heartbreaking to know that television and water was like a luxury in Haiti which is less than 700 miles away from Florida. And I don’t like to drink water because I have some many other things to drink in abundance. We as people , me included scrap up every penny to make sure the cable bill is paid when we could watch regular TV. In Haiti TV is a luxury item. I have health insurance and most of the times chose not to go to the doctor and there are children and families buried under the ruble waiting, hoping and dreaming that they can be helped and treated by a doctor or anyone for that matter.

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with 80% of the population living under the poverty line and 54% in abject poverty on less than $2 a day. The history of Haiti is indelibly stained by political oppression, bloody coups, devastating poverty and deadly floods, hurricanes and earthquakes. Over and over, it is a country that can't seem to get a break. Only about three in every one hundred Haitians have telephones, infant mortality is rampant and the average life expectancy is a dismal 53 years, with most not being able to afford the couple of dollars needed for antibiotics.

But back to my original question whatever happen to brotherhood and sisterhood? Remember when you were a child and your parents may have need a bag of sugar or maybe a hot meal you could go to your neighbor and get it. Those were the days. To me brotherhood and sisterhood means numbers and strength.

For me I just want to acknowledge that Life is good. The possibilities for joy and true fulfillment are more abundant than ever before for me and the people around me. It is great to be alive, on this day, in this place. And we all need to truly be thankful.

When disaster strikes, there are no magic words that will make everything all right. For if there were, life would necessarily have to be unbearably empty and shallow in order to accommodate them. What there is, is the opportunity and the obligation to love as you never have before. Choose to love, choose to live, and choose to be thankful. That is what you can do, and that is where the real magic will happen.

I just wanted to say that I Love You Guys.

Sincerely In Prayer,

Martina

Journey 2 finding Me



Visit my site @ http://journey2knowingme.blogspot.com/

Be Featured

Be Featured On Journey 2 Finding Me



Why did you choose to go naturale?


How did you go about becoming a natural?


Were you a long term or short term hair or personal goals, and why?


What do you wish you knew before you went natural?


What are you’re favorite website for natural women?


What are your favorite products?


What was your transitioning routine?


How does your new look effect people’s reactions (school, work, family etc...)?


What are your natural hair styles?


Do you have a website or blog where other naturals can keep up with you?


What are your hobbies and or interest?


What is your profession? How does being natural affect the workplace?


What is your hair inspiration?


Please attach 3 to 4 pictures showing the stages of your natural hair journey or where you are now on your journey.


Email- amiraclecreations@yahoo.com

Help Haiti

When it comes to natural disasters, Haiti seems to have a bull's-eye on it.The earthquake that devastated Haiti Tuesday was the strongest temblor to hit the island nation in more than 200 years. The magnitude 7.0 quake caused tremendous damage.President Rene Preval said he heard reports of death tolls ranging from 30,000 to 100,000 -- but he said the true toll is not yet known. The shaking started on Tuesday, Jan. 12, at 4:53 p.m. EST (21:53 UTC) in the Haiti region, just 10 miles (15 km) southwest of Port-au-Prince.

Within two hours of Tuesday's 7.0 magnitude earthquake, Jean and Yéle mobilized on social networking sites to raise funds for disaster relief. Jean is encouraging people to text "Yéle" to 501501, which will automatically donate $5 to the Yéle Haiti Earthquake Fund, or to visit http://www.yele.org/.


May we all say a prayer for them. May god be watch over them.

Hair Poem

"I whisper, then sometimes I'm loud

I always stand out in a crowd
I come in naps, curls, locs, and waves
Shaming sad tries best left in caves
My myriad styles are ever up to date
Yet I am the subject of intense debate
The critics gather to envy me
For I am woven with her story
Wear me out and flaunt me if you dare!
Who am I?
I am a Black woman's hair,"


Taken from:
Natural Woman / Natural Hair: A Hair Journey

Perm??

I fought my natural kinks and naps every month. The instant I felt those little change in my roots, I ran for the nearest salon and/or beauty supply for that next "hit". ( of Relaxed that is ) I know this description is offensive to some, but be true to yourself. It was an addiction to be straight like I was programmed to be since a child as far back as I can remember. Doesn’t anyone find it strange that we will scream from the roof tops that were black but we cant even love our god given beauty enough to accept the way that god made us a rock our kinks, curls and or naps. Interesting Hugh !! As a child I can remember having loving gorgeous hair and the minute I got my first relaxer my hair began the breakage but it was straight. LOL.

Take a look and the word relaxer. The dictionary defines relax as:
1 : to make less tense or rigid : slacken
2 : to make less severe or stringent : modify
3 : to deprive of energy, zeal, or strength of purpose
4 : to relieve from nervous tension
Interesting Huh! To deprive energy, zeal or strength

Affects Of Perms
Hair breakage, hair thinning, lack of hair growth, scalp irritation, scalp damage, hair loss. These are just some of the complaints from many who experience problems due to the misuse of chemical hair relaxers. In fact, the FDA lists hair straighteners and hair dyes among its top consumer complaint areas. Yet, in so many stores around the country, chemicals are available for everyone to use, without much instruction, a powerful process which transforms the basic chemical makeup of the hair strand.

Sodium Hydroxide is the strongest type of principal chemical used in some chemical relaxers because it provides the most long lasting and dramatic effects. However, this same sodium hydroxide is found in drain cleaners which well demonstrates the strength of this chemical. It is what is used in products that are referred to as “lye” relaxers. The strength varies from a pH factor of 10 to 14. With higher pH, the faster the straightening solution will take hold, but the more potential the damage.

• Routes of Exposure: Sodium hydroxide can affect the body if it is inhaled or if it comes in contact with the eyes or skin. It can also affect the body if it is swallowed.
• Summary of Acute Health Hazards Ingestion: Swallowing sodium hydroxide may cause severe burns of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and stomach. Death may result. Severe scarring of the throat may occur on recovery after swallowing sodium hydroxide. Symptoms may include sneezing, bleeding, vomiting, diarrhea, fall in blood pressure. Damage may appear days after exposure. An increased number of esophageal cancer cases have been reported to occur in individuals who have scarring of the esophagus from swallowing sodium hydroxide.
• Inhalation: Effects from inhalation of the dusts, mists, or spray will vary from mild irritation to destructive burns depending on the severity of exposure. Symptoms may include sneezing, sore throat or runny nose. Severe pneumonitis may occur.
•  Skin: Contact of the skin may cause skin irritation and, with greater exposure, severe burns with scarring a period may exist between exposure and sense of irritation).
•  Eyes: Sodium hydroxide is destructive to eye tissues on contact. Will cause severe burns that result in damage to the eyes and even blindness. Contact lenses should not be worn when working with this chemical. Even a small amount in the eye can cause blindness.

Guanidine Hydroxide is the other common option of relaxer chemical used today. This is what is referred to as “no-lye” relaxers. This label can be misleading to some consumers. It does not imply that there aren't any strong chemicals used or that the chemicals used are somehow less potentially damaging. Some have mistakenly thought that with “no-lye” relaxers there are less steps and all the worry of chemical hair straightening is removed. Although this type of chemical hair relaxer can be less damaging than its counterpart, the hair and scalp should be in top condition before attempting treatment, and this type also requires special care when applied. With no-lye relaxers, calcium hydroxide and guanidine carbonate are mixed to produce guanidine hydroxide. It’s the hydroxide that makes the relaxer reactive (basic) and the way they work is the same. Both work by being highly alkaline and breaking the bonds in the hair. In fact, many people have reported no-lye relaxers leave their hair more dull and have gone back to lye relaxers. And some beauticians actually recommend against no-lye relaxers.

Why R U Single?

I was listening to the radio last night on my way home and heard a interesting topic on my favorite radio show Michael baisden. The topic in a nutshell was about why so many black women are single. This topic was s spin off of the abc news show that appeared last weak which spotlighted numerous successful black women and also author Steve Harvey of the book "Think like a lady act like a man". The women and Steve Harvey had several interesting theories about why black women were single but what caught my attention was the staggering information given on the statistics of black men and women. It was very alarming. It doesn’t affect me because I'm not single but I do have a daughter who will eventually become a woman venturing out into the world. Here are some of the stats to watch the video click on the link below to find the full article/videos on this matter. Also share your opinion.





http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/single-black-females/story?id=9395275&page=1

The Statistics
There are 1.8 million more black women than black men. So even if every black man in America married a black woman today, one out of 12 black women still wouldn't make it down the aisle if they hoped to marry a black man.
Let's take 100 black men. By the time you eliminate those without a high school diploma (21 percent), the unemployed (17 percent) and those ages 25-34 who are incarcerated (8 percent), you have only half of black men, 54 percent, whom many black women find acceptable.