Blakbutterfli - Leona and I are BACK!

Yes, like everyone else who is posting in this thread, I'd love to be on Nikki's "Winner Winner Chicken Dinner" post. lol However, the more I thought about all of this, the more I thought that this might be something else that will take me by surprise.

I've always had a hate/like thing with my hair. My hair is extremely soft and fine - and when I was relaxing it, it made it much thinner than it already was. Both my sisters, in my eyes, are blessed with thick hair that grows. Me? I got my mama's hair and always thought it was a curse.

My younger sister kept encouraging me to go natural. "It will be so soft and curly, Trina" she implored. Well, I let her BC me in October of 2007. And I can't tell ya'll how the tears fell as I saw my hair hit the dining room floor. Mind you, it's not like I was Rapunzel, but LORD - I wailed like a funeral mourner. lol

When I heard my hubby come to see what the deal was, I covered my head with a towel and just sat there. "It will be ok," I heard my sister whisper to him when he asked what was wrong. After I took the towel from my head, he asked "what's wrong? You look cute."

The point of all of that was - I went natural for a myriad of reasons, some right and some wrong. I was convinced I'd have a head full of curls and would be "prettier". I wanted to show folks I could be fierce and didn't care what they said.

After two years, my mindset has changed and I'm better for it. I'm starting to pay more attention to what goes into my body and I have no CHOICE but to love me and how I look - it takes a lot of confidence to walk around with 5" (or 3" if you're in my kitchen) of hair on your head, ESPECIALLY in the south!

So, again, as I take to this thread, while I'd LOVE to be a winner of, well, any prizes, I hope to find and write my way into a love/love thing with my hair.

To be continued...

(((HUGS)))

Hi there,

I think the more you hang around this forum the more you're going to fall in love with your hair. Natural hair is very fierce, now own your natural hair and work it diva. You will be surprised of how many women WISH they could cut all of their hair off and still be fly.

I had a girlfriend tell me I was hard to handle with long permed hair and now she says it's even worse

Welcome !!! &&& thanks for sharing you seem to be a very genuine person & i look forward to getting to know you better through your words! your hair is beautiful by the way

Hey Blakbutterfli! I am looking forward to follow your thread.

Your hair is fierce and beautiful!

ChrsLvsBks wrote:Welcome, your first post put a smile on my face. It was visual and felt like I was there when you BC'd in 2007. You seem to have a great personality. I bet you are the life of any party.

I will follow your "journal."

Thank you ChrsLvsBks. I was an English major in college and I freelance write on occassion, so everytime I write, I try to be honest and candid, but also make it funny and interesting for folks to read.

If you had been there with me in 2007, you would have just been staring at my head covered under that towel, but I know what you mean and I thank you.

lovesunshine17 wrote:Your hair is fierce and beautiful!

Thank you! I tried some Giovanni leave-in on my hair last night, so I'll see how it looks today. I think YOUR hair is gorgeous as well. I think CN.com folks just got it going on!

lena73 wrote:(((HUGS)))

Thank you, Lena! Hugs are another form of free therapy that I appreciate.

Kea::curls wrote:Welcome !!! &&& thanks for sharing you seem to be a very genuine person & i look forward to getting to know you better through your words! your hair is beautiful by the way

Thank you Kea. Your hair is beautiful too. Genuine is the only way to go and I appreciate your saying that about me. Ya'll are gonna make me tear up on here.

Hmmm...I'm not sure if this is the required daily posting to stay in this contest - I hope I wasn't supposed to start a new topic! Anyways, here goes...

...so, yesterday, I trucked it all the way out to Highland Park (if you're not from the Dallas area, I know you don't care, but it's a little drive) to my closest Whole Foods. My goal - no clue, I just wanted to peruse the haircare aisle and see what struck my fickle fancy.

So...WF has a LOT of stuff! I was in PJ heaven! Organic, natural, pure, etc...the language of a PJ is beautiful. lol After much back and forth, I picked up a bottle of Giovanni Direct Leave-In Weightless Moisture Conditioner. So, I thought I'd give it a whirl, though I did make a personal vow to hit WF up once a month to indulge the junky within.

I tried the Giovanni as a leave-in first, for a wash and go. I co-washed with Organix Shea Butter conditioner and with my hair very damp, I applied the conditioner all over my 4a/4b hair. Results? Well, my hair shrunk a LOT, but my little afro was transformed into a fairly compact and even little thing. Not a lot of curl definition, but I lived.

Next, I decide to mix the Giovanni into my normal night routine of twisting my hair. I co-washed again (I feel like I am preparing my hair when I do this) and then did a ACV rinse - my hair LOVES this! Then, I loaded my hair up with the Giovanni and then did these two-strand twist things (trust me, things is the right word - uneven and all over my head like Medusa) that I do every night.

Today, I woke up and the results were really good! I normally use Carol's Daughter Healthy Hair Butter to do my twist and while the results were good, my hair would have a tacky/sticky feel to it. With the Gio (we're going to be real good friends, so I shortened his name) my hair did not have that tacky/sticky feel and it was a little softer too. My hair is naturally very soft, so I usually don't notice if a product makes it THAT much softer - it feels like fluffy cotton enough. Though my husband once likened it to a good, expensive grade of carpet, but he's bald, so who cares?

Overall, I'd say it's worth a try. I paid about $8 or so at WF, but I did find the line at Wal-Mart the next day. So, obviously, its not expensive and I'd give it a try. My friend purchased the same stuff and she has 3 hair, so I'll be waiting for her call to see how it worked for her later.

lol @ ChrsLvsBks...I think they both have hair envy! And my great-grandmother made me all kinds of afghans, jackets, hats of yarn...you're in good, soft company.

Love your intro! I joined this thread yesterday too! I BC'd 5-6 months after you...
LOL@ "Hmmm...I'm not sure if this is the required daily posting to stay in this contest - I hope I wasn't supposed to start a new topic! Anyways, here goes..." because I was wondering the same thing!

I'll definitely be keeping tabs on you & your jorney!

-Reese

You both did right. You continue to post on this thread daily.

My hair loves Giovanni Direct Leave in too. Its light, makes my hair soft and keeps it moisturized.

lol @ your new friend Gio &&& my hair loves ACV rinses, too!!! how often do you usually ACV?

Kea::curls wrote:lol @ your new friend Gio &&& my hair loves ACV rinses, too!!! how often do you usually ACV?

Kea, Gio and I have a love thang going - for right now.

I usually ACV when my scalp is itchy or I have product build-up. But now, I'm starting (trying?) to develop a routine of dc'ing on Sundays and then doing an ACV and then applying Gio and my Healthy Hair Butter to my hair do to my twists. I had posted some pics last night, but they seem to have disappeared from the post - not sure what's up with that.

So, today, after Gio and my Healthy Hair Butter mixed it up, I can't get enough of my little twists and coils in my hair! Honestly, I love the texture of my hair - I just wish I had about 20 more pounds of it on my head.

I'm supposed to get my hair straightened on Saturday. I want a different look for my church's Christmas party. But, the last time I got it straightned, I paid $110.00 (conditioner, wash, trim, etc..) and it only lasted for about 3 days. It probably could have gone longer, but I had to keep flat-ironing it and that was getting on my last nappy nerve! To make matters worse, I was in a shop where most of the clients had (LITERALLY) hair down their backs that the stylists wouuld straighten.

When I was getting mine blow-dried, the shampoo chick was like "oh, it's as short as I thought." I wanted to just sink into the floor. I felt like not only the fly in the milk, but the one who laid there and died in it.

So, hopefully, this next experience will go better. I'm nervous as Hades, but I'll post some pics when it's done. Wish me luck!

ok first welcome!! 2nd I have controlled my PJism, but now I was to try your new friend Gio!! LOL!

lol @ sweetdrk1. Gio is working out pretty good. I hope you enjoy the products as well. I noticed in Wal-mart that there are body lotions too, so I may give them a try once I stop messing around in my hair so much!

Lol@ "I just wish I had about 20 more pounds of it on my head." I definitely feel you on that one..grow hair, grow!

--Reese

This was how my hair looked earlier this week.

@Reese - yes, I am trying a little bit of everything to get this mop of mine to expand. But, I'm not trying to do TOO much so my hair won't rebel.

I purchased some MegaTek and I am using that (mixed with some water to dilute it) on my scalp every night. I've also started taking my Biotin again and will go to the health food store as SOON as I get paid on Friday to invest in some good vitamins.

I honestly think I'm battling genetics (my nails don't grow long at all and are prone to breaking) and my diabetes (I have to take medication to prevent high blood pressure) but I'm going to battle on anyways. I'm thinking about changing my diet up too and I'm trying to just drink water, though I have to suck down some Diet Dr. Pepper at least ONCE a week to not be evil.

I love the color in your hair. In my Avatar, I had color, but I didn't treat my hair right and it dried it out and I had to cut it, so I felt like I was starting all over.

Not a lot to say about my hair tonight, but I did notice I have a very prominent forehead.

I made my appointment to get my hair straightened this weekend, but am really thinking about trying to rock a short fro/faux hawk. The stylist I am going to LOVES natural hair and IS natural and rocks this huge afro blonde/black crown of hair. I love eclectic folks.