And by the beast, I mean my hair.
I am way overdue for a relaxer, and have been debating what I want to do next. Going natural again has it’s appeal, but taming the beast is a lot of work.
Work that requires the right tools.
Not that I would be solely basing my decision on my experience with the FH-1 Professional Styler
Not sure if you noticed, but in my wedding season post, my hair had recently been done professionally. A little snip snip, a few extensions added, I was happy with the results and felt really good.
Usually, if I get extensions I have them sewn in, this time bonding glue was used.
Not a huge deal.
Then, after about two weeks it was time to take the extensions out. This process involved a lot of baby oil. It was one big slippery mess. Here’s where there was a problem, afterwards, my hair was still sticky. I washed it, tried more baby oil, dry shampoo, you name it. Nothing worked, and I was starting to get grossed out by my own hair.
When better to try a new shampoo courtesy of Influenster and SoapBox Soaps?
Maybe washing my hair for a second time also helped, but the shampoo got the remaining stickiness out so my hair was squeaky clean. And the conditioner left my hair soft, especially considering I had just washed my hair twice.
Soapbox Argan Oil Shampoo helped rescue my hair from the scary bonding glue monster.
Soapbox gave me hope for my hair and after doing a little homework, I learned about the mission of the company and my heart smiled. They “use soap to improve the world”.
For under $5 at Target (because you know you’re going to be going on a run there soon anyways), you can give the world a little hope and look good while doing it!
Moroccan oil is so 2014.
The new generation of oils?
Baobab oil, Mafura oil, Marula oil, and Mongongo oil are the four oils used in the newest product line from Lee Stafford, Ubuntu oils from Africa. These oils are all super hydrating and restore dry, damaged hair. The line is exclusive to Ulta and doesn’t cost much at all!
My personal thoughts?
I could not have gotten the chance to try this at a better time! My hair has been so dry lately. It was shedding pretty badly, to point where I was very seriously debating whether or not I should just shave it all off.
I recommend Ubuntu oils from Africa to anyone who wants to improve the condition of their hair. Or anyone who just wants their hair to smell nice, because this stuff smells unbelievably amazing! (It’s kind of fruity, but not in a citrusy way.)
Since using Ubuntu oils from Africa, my hair hasn’t grown to Rapunzel length proportions or anything like that, but it does feel healthier and that’s all I really cared about. That and the fact that once I run out I don’t have to scrimp and save, I just run to Ulta and by more. Afterall, I am an ULTAmate Rewards member now…
I’m back on the creamy crack.
That’s right. After almost three years of being natural and shaving my head, I couldn’t do it anymore.
Living in Vermont with ethnic hair isn’t easy. No matter how you choose to wear your hair, you have to resort to DIY.
One of the perks of being a naturalista is the versatility. I finally was able to flat iron my hair again, and it took FOREVER. Literally over eight hours. Um, nope…Not for me.
I can’t even. And I’m OK with that. Natural hair isn’t for everyone.
Are you team natural or team relaxed? Tell me why, I’m curious!
Two nights ago, I had my head shaved.
Now, this is something I NEVER thought I’d do. I’d seen people do the “big chop” and thought how brave of them, or that it looked great on them, but that I couldn’t pull it off. I had already transitioned and had been team natural for about a year, but my hair wasn’t in the best condition, as I took a very, shall we say, Solange approach to my hair (with much different results).
Whenever I considered cutting off my hair, I would shoot it down. When I transitioned, I had grown out my relaxer and then cut off the relaxed ends, so I never did anything even remotely close to a big chop. I had gotten my hair cut shortish in the past, but that was because I’d asked for a Rihanna cut without being on top of the fact that she’d since cut her hair from a bob to a reverse mullet/pixie…big mistake on my part. People said it looked great but I just wanted it to hurry up and grow out.
I cried every morning for months.
So when the school that I work at held a fundraiser for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, my manfriend thought I was crazy when I told him that I wanted to be a shavee and go completely bald. He reminded me of how I’d hated my hair being really short and did not want to go through months of my misery. Got to love him! He even came and took pictures.
But this was different and for a really great cause. No tears, and it makes me happy to know that I stood (well sat) in solidarity with children who don’t get to make the choice to have or not to have hair. So I did it. And I’d do it again.
Conquer childhood cancer.