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Home , Big hair, Natural hair movement

guide for the EXTRAKINKYCOILY girl who thought baby & sleek updos would spring forth...

by jouelzy illustrated by sharee miller introduction. What Made You Go Natural? But like anything that hits the peak of pop culture popularity and then Hello, love. How’s your day going? Better yet, how is your going curves to become one of the fastest-growing consumer economies, today? Are you happy? Are you sad? Have you fnally mastered the the has in more recent years careened into the art of the fat twist out to spring forth bouncy curls that aren’t too tight mythical tales of the best/healthy/perfect natural hair being laid with (so you don’t end up looking like Grandma Ethel) or too loose (so you gelled-up baby hairs that any single “edge control” product can help don’t step out the house and poof – all defnition dissipates)? Is your you achieve, while the rest of your hair can be smoothed up sleekly hair fourishing as you reach BSL and APL hair lengths? Do you even into the perfect but just slightly messy top knot, again of course with know what those acronyms mean? Does it matter? the perfect new hair product that you have to run to your nearest beauty supply store or Etsy shop to pick up. Because the other 20 to 35 hair products that have failed to make your hair sleek while refecting a high- Is your hair fourishing as Girl … just come along with me. Whether you’re new to defnition shine (without the use of an Instagram flter) were missing you reach BSL and APL hair this and constantly pulling at that one mysterious ingredient that humans have been ignoring since lengths? your hair strands to make sure Nefertiti walked this earth. Never mind that Nefertiti wore wigs … but Do you even know what they’re growing, or you’ve okay girl. For double taps, clicks and coins, the natural hair industry those acronyms mean? been hiding that bushel of hair and media have been peddling misinformation that leaves out the full breadth of what healthy natural hair can be. Does it matter? under wigs/weaves/ as a “protective” (but really you just don’t have the time to be bothered with other ) or, even if Whether you believe in hair typing you’re perfectly happy with your hair and just want to sit and kiki with or not, for ease of identifying a me, there’s something here for everyone. sub group we’ll refer to this group that has been skimmed over as In the past 10 years the natural hair movement has grown exponentially, the Type 4C and Beyond naturals, empowering women of color to take hold of their identity and be proud aka 4C+: where hair tightly coils of the hair that the One above bestowed upon their scalps. Many of us back into itself, hair shrinkage is grin with pride as we see the representations of ourselves in mainstream real even without the presence media begin to take on new shapes and appearances that appeal to the of actual water, and hair can still everyday Black woman. look dull and dry even when it is moisturized and soft to the touch. For many of us, we only see our hair represented when there are edgy cuts and color involved, or when supreme lengths and has been achieved. This leaves a good range of women confused about where to begin, how to keep on, and what they should actually establish as their end goal.

So here we are, where you’re going to take this walk with me as I dispense the information I have accumulated over the two-plus years I’ve spent telling you that Type 4C+ natural hair is just as fne as the shiny curls of my Type 3 sisters, and then kicking up a slight ft to let y’all know that we deserve to be recognized, and I don’t have time for the marketing lies. While I’ve moved on to focus on my #SmartBrownGirl movement (because empowering women of color to defne their own success story is where my passion lies), I don’t want to leave without this small gift to help you be a #SmartBrownGirl with fy natural hair. If you’re not familiar with my YouTube channel, allow me to explain my obsession with baby hairs and the #babyhairbrigade.

Just because you have baby hairs doesn’t mean that we can’t be cool. I love you whether or not you have a toothbrush as part of your hair-care regimen. But what I’m really getting at is the uptick in the natural hair media and companies looking to capitalize on this industry, pushing out this image of a natural being chapter one. perfect when the subtle swifts of Reckoning With Realistic Expectations baby hairs (the short hairs around For Your HairVersus What the perimeter of one’s hair line) the Media Says is Healthy Natural Hair are gelled and swooped into the style. Where Bantu knot-out tutorials with shoddy webcam production can suddenly get coverage from major publications like Cosmopolitan and Glamour magazines, as if Black women haven’t been putting out the better-produced tutorials of the same styles for years. When the crown on one is shared all over Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram (because again, the shine and swoop of baby hairs will bring any person to their knees), understanding the accented beauty that this touch brings to a natural faster, fx hair that dries up rapidly or stop hair from shedding. Your hairstyle. And yet, with my Type 4C+ hair, a crown braid leaves hair grows out from your scalp. Think about what’s under that layer people making references to Aunt Cellie and slave jokes. This is of skin that springs forth the most important patch (well, after your extreme, but you get the point. ) on your body. Hair growth is an internal process, and often when we have chronic hair issues, our bodies are telling us The #babyhairbrigade is more something is wrong internally. Your hair and nails are the of an affront to the media/ corporation powers who are last parts of your body Good blood fow is part of healthy hair growth. Exercise helps to pushing a lie in a jar of hair to receive nutrients, so keep the blood fowing properly and circulating to the right parts product. I love all my sisters if there’s any defciency of your body. So put down the Big Mac with the Diet Coke and do with Pocahontas edges and they’ll be the frst places some squats. Excessive hair shedding is often a sign of hormonal Ashanti just the imbalance and vitamin defciency. If you can’t remember the last to show it. same. time you saw the sun, your vitamin D levels are probably low. Vitamin B is also important in stimulating hair growth. Before Now let us dispel some of the lies and help you on the road to happy you go buy the newest epic natural hair swindle of hair vitamins, hair and less frustration. 1. Not everyone has baby hairs. Lol … I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist. But it must be said, not all of us have a pass into the #babyhairbrigade, and that’s fne. Your hairstyles will still be super cute, and with the right lighting, your Instagram pics will get plenty of likes.

2. There’s no magical hair product; just good ingredients and healthy bodies. understand that the best way for your body to absorb any nutrient is Many of us who are experiencing ongoing hair problems – which through natural sources, like leafy greens and vegetables. Throw a we can’t seem to counter no matter what we do – are looking in green smoothie into your daily meal plan with a gallon of water, and the wrong areas. No topical hair product will make your hair grow nourish your hair, nails, skin and body. Your hair and nails are the last parts of your body to receive nutrients, Some quick basics here: so if there’s any defciency they’ll be the frst places to show it. Who Dull hair color might not emanate/refect light like darker (black) or doesn’t love a good basket of deep-fried chicken fngers? Or maybe brighter (deep red) hair colors. your bae, who otherwise avoids the kitchen, enjoys frying Oreos for dessert, lunch and breakfast … french fries with Whataburger Type 4 hair is dull or “dry” looking because of how tightly coiled ketchup (sorry for all of you who haven’t experienced this Texan the hair strand is. If you don’t have a good detangle routine down, goodness), but all of these nutrient-defcient meals take nutrients for you might not only have a hard time getting your hair to refect your body to digest. So while we all love a good snack, make sure light and have a good sheen, but you will also have a hard time with that you’re ingesting enough of the right nutrients for your body to moisturizing, because product can’t reach the full length of your fourish and allow for your edges to always be full. hair shaft.

3. Shine and sheen are not the only indicators of moisturized hair. Properly detangling and wearing stretched hairstyles will make it Step away from the natural hair blogs and forums for a second. They much easier to achieve a sheen. can be very helpful, but also very confusing. One week they’re telling you how to get shiny hair, and the next week they’re telling you that Type 4 hair has a sheen rather than a shine – forcing you to wonder if the lighting in your bathroom has been telling you lies all along. The right concoction of topical products can cause your hair to have that ever-elusive sheen, but your hair has to be styled in a way that allows the light to refect on your strands. If you like to wear your hair in its utmost natural/shrunken state and you have very tightly coiled hair, using sheen as an indicator for whether your hair is healthy will leave you frustrated. Touch and durability of your hair strands (breakage) are much better indicators, as your hair should be soft to the touch and snap back into whatever way you had it styled when you gently pull it, without breaking off. 4. Detangle, detangle, detangle; doing it right will change your 6. Your hair journey, what works for you and what doesn’t, will be life. shaped by your lifestyle choices and hair goals. We will go over this in more detail in Chapter 4, but detangling your You have to decide whether you want to grow super in hair is of the utmost importance. It is the foundation to perfecting the shortest time period possible or if you’d rather play in your your hairstyles. It doesn’t matter if you want to grow your hair super hair and wear it as an accessory to your personality. Some people long or you want to dye it pink, blue and purple so it can be cute for can commit to protective styling and hours spent on wash/detangle right now; detangling will impact how easy it is to achieve any of routines, others don’t have the time for all that and prefer to rub a that. Detangling makes it easier for you to moisturize your hair with shea butter mix and go, while still others want the option to stretch less product, hold a style, combat shrinkage and save you from those their hair to the creative limits. Each of those people are going to early morning tears when you take your twist out down because it’s have different products, tools and hairstyles that work for them. still wet. Also don’t forget we each have our own unique DNA, making all hair journeys distinctly different. 5. Not every hairstyle is going to look cute on you, and that doesn’t mean something’s wrong with your hair. As much as media/companies and even us vloggers like to promote certain hairstyles like Bantu knots, fat twist outs or chunky twists as the best thing since sliced bread and pinnacle hairstyles that all naturals should be capable of, a lot of your natural hair journey is going to come down to your aesthetic preferences. Some like big hair; some like it short and close to the scalp. Some folks are all about ’dos and some folks love a wash (moisturize and set overnight) ’n go. Just because you don’t like the way a hairstyle looks on you doesn’t mean it can’t be done or isn’t appropriate for others. It also doesn’t mean that there’s something inherently wrong with your hair. There just might be something wrong with your technique and tools. You know those moments of confusion when you’ve sworn by a particular natural hair blog and/or vlogger, and one week they are telling you that castor oil is God’s greatest gift to full edges and moisturized hair, and then the next week they’re telling you to avoid castor oil because it’s a humectant and will ruin any curly ’do? We’ve all had those moments as we wade through the plethora of natural hair videos, articles and general information that the Internets make so accessible – but information overload can make things so confusing. There is a way to avoid the general confusion of trying chapter two. to fgure out what information is right for you, while laying the Shaping Your Style Around Hair Goals foundation to a mostly frustration-free healthy natural hair journey.

& Still Looking Cute Decide your hair goals from the start!

Growing your hair long quickly This is going to lean more toward a high-maintenance hair routine. Protective styling will be your friend, along with a good and thorough weekly to biweekly wash routine. Growing your hair long is a science, so you will have to invest in understanding the science of your hair and body (because hair growth is an internal process). If you don’t mind the more conservative aesthetic of protective hairstyles and even if your preference is to throw in a frustration. If you are clear sew-in weave, you still must have the patience to take care of the about the overall goal and real hair underneath the weave. If this works for you, then go forth how you want your hair to with laying the foundation of your hair-care routine around the goal ft into your lifestyle, it will of growing your hair quickly. be much easier to pick out the right information, hair Having fun with your hair and expressing your style products, tools and styles You want blue hair today and red hair next week? You can shave that will work for you. This the sides, back or it all off as many times as you want and won’t is better than oscillating bat an at the thought of a clipper. You can still have healthy between one marketing hair no matter how much you like to play in it; it’s just a matter scheme that’s telling you to of understanding that your hair won’t grow as fast as those who buy a particular product for establish a more high-maintenance hair routine that’s focused around super long hair and then a growth. Styling freedom and creativity with your hair will come at natural hair article that’s telling you to try a new method that takes the cost of your hair-growth speed. 12 hours to do to help your hair grow, curl and shine all at once. Clarity from the onset will help avoid confusion. The in-between natural You want to be cute but you also want length. Your hair doesn’t always have to be your loudest accessory, and the occasional protective style is never a problem for you. Most of us will land in this category, where we just want our hair to be healthy and growing without it consuming too much of our time. If you can keep your hair envy at bay and not be jealous of those who are genetically predisposed to rapid hair growth, you and your hair will prosper.

So why can’t you be all of these things? Why do you have to decide at the onset? Because we’re trying to ease the possibility of The best tool for your hair will always be your hands. The best product for your hair will always be water. That is how simply you need to look at your hair-care process. Anything added on to that should be based around your hair goals, lifestyle needs and style preferences.

chapter three. The Basics – Finding the Right Tools & Products to Use and Avoid

Using your hands to detangle and “comb” through your hair is something you will have to do at one point or another to kick-start a good detangling process. The nerve endings in your fngertips help you to better detect knots and tangles in your hair so that you can gently pull them apart, rather than ripping them out of your hair with a comb. Water is a vital part of our life source. For our hair, it’s the base for moisture both externally and internally. All the topical products you add to your hair are seeking to seal the moisture into your . So if you’re having problems retaining moisture, you should check your water intake: Are you drinking enough water? Is the quality of the water (pH balance/hard water) you use glycerin is one of the frst fve ingredients. Glycerin attracts the to wash your hair good? moisture in the air, so if you live in a humid location, glycerin will suck all that moisture right in, and like Puff the Magic Dragon, any Many naturals prescribe an LOC or LCO method (L = Liquid, O = style you’ve done to your hair will be pufftastic fve minutes after Oil, C = Cream). I prefer the LCO method. Where my L will always stepping out the house. If you live in a location with very dry air, be a water-based spritz moisturizer, the C will be a butter or creamy you may be able to get away with using products that have glycerin. whipped product that I use in small amounts, and the O, if needed, It’s great for your skin, but it will take more trial and error to get is added to seal and add sheen to my hair. it right with your hair. For myself, I found that using it during the frigid and cold East Coast winters helped me to retain moisture in Four things to remember: my hair over the course of a few days. During the humid summers, Glycerin attracts the though, I had to stock my glycerin-heavy products away. Wondering 1. Always style your hair why your hair is never dry after setting it overnight? Check your when it is damp to dry. moisture in the air, so if you product ingredient list to make sure that glycerin isn’t the culprit. 2. You do not need to use a live in a humid location, pound of product in your On shea butter glycerin will suck all that hair to get it to act right. If you are allergic to nuts, shea butter 3. Your products will moisture right in [...] like and coconut and almond oils may change based on the style Puff the Magic Dragon cause more irritation than benefts. you want. Shea butter is derived from the nut 4. Learning the basic science of hair product ingredients will save of the African shea tree. I fnd that you a lot of time, money and frustration. in its pure form, it is too dense and weighs down my hair. Whipped On glycerin shea butters are typically whipped Glycerin is a moisturizing compound that you will love one day and with a variation of carrier oils, like grapeseed, coconut, almond and hate the next. If you are trying to achieve sleek, defned curly styles, olive oil. It is much easier to apply to my hair, and allows me to use you want to stay away from glycerin-laden products. If you like much smaller amounts of the product. big, puffy hair, then have fun with small amounts of product where Should you use products with silicone? If you are adding direct heat (fat iron, blow dry, etc.), then yes. If you are fne washing your hair with sulfate regularly, then sure.

Silicones are not entirely detrimental to your hair health. Generally speaking, silicones are not water soluble. So once you apply a silicone-based product to your hair, the ’cones will attach themselves to the hair cuticle, and any other product you add on top will just build or helping to speed it up. up without penetrating the hair shaft. This is ideal for straightening Fine-tooth combs for sleek styles and clean parts is a must. Use hair hair, because it helps to keep the direct heat from damaging your clips, because sectioning your hair while styling helps to get it done hair. For people who are wearing their hair in its natural state, using quickly and effciently. silicone-based products can lead to product buildup or stiff hair, and it requires you to use a sulfate-based to thoroughly The use of brushes is entirely up to you, your style preferences and cleanse your hair. Sulfates strip your hair of everything, including hair goals. I have shaved sides, so I have to use a brush. Previously I whatever natural oils your scalp produces. If you do not have a good would use a Denman brush for my curly hairstyles to help minimize moisturizing routine in place or your hair is naturally extremely dry, the , but I haven’t touched it in the past two years. I liked it, you want to stay away from sulfate-based shampoos as much as but my styling preferences have evolved, so it’s not a tool I need. possible. That doesn’t mean you can’t ever use a sulfate shampoo Otherwise, I’ve never had to brush my natural hair unless I was to cleanse your hair; you just want to be conscious of how often styling it into a bun ’do and brushing my hair into a tight . you’re doing this (I use a sulfate shampoo once every three months or so). So for dry hair and folks who are already struggling with But never forget, the best damn tool ever is your hands. their moisturizing routine, steer clear of silicone-based products unless you are applying direct heat to your hair.

Tools A wide-tooth comb is great for fnishing off the detangling process This is the end-all and be-all of hair complaints that I see most often: My hair won’t grow, it won’t stay moisturized, I can’t do anything with it. It’s also all a lie. Barring any serious health issues, the average person’s hair (that includes you with the Type 4C+ hair) is always growing, it can defnitely retain moisture, and there is some style that you can achieve with it. And no, that doesn’t mean you have to loc your hair or wear styles that age you in the wrong direction, whether it be too young or too old. This is why I am here for you. To show you the light that is the versatility of your hair strands.

My hair won’t grow chapter four. A few questions to see how serious you are about this statement: How to Avoid the crunchy, dry frustrations • Have you been measuring your hair consistently over the past of Hair that Never Seems to Grow three to six months? • Are you taking a tape measure or ruler and pulling hair strands from the back, sides, center and front of your head to record measurements?

Now if you’re one of those folks who just eyeballs your hair every once in a while (95% of you), and feel that your hair hasn’t grown as much as your favorite silky natural hair problem. Which means that there is no magical topical product that guru who just posted a picture of their hair growth over the past will cause your hair to grow faster. However, maintaining good year and they went from TWA to Bra Strap Length (BSL), log off of eating habits and working out will help your hair, edges, mood and social media for a minute and let’s set some realistic expectations. body to fourish. Isn’t it marvelous how your body is interconnected?

1. All hair grows. My hair won’t STAY moisturized 2. The tighter the coil of your hair, the harder it will be to visually Second up is the world of women who have promised that they see growth. It’s called shrinkage. have bought every product under the sun and nothing, not anything, 3. Shrinkage is real. ever in life has worked to keep the moisture in their hair. What this 4. Shrinkage. There is no really means is that you do not understand how your hair works, 5. Never forget about shrinkage. magical topical and you’re probably stuck trying moisturizing routines that work 6. The less your hands are in your product that will for every other natural hair guru without really understanding how hair (aside from massaging your cause your hair to your body and hair work. Again, the moisture in your hair can be scalp), the more it will grow. grow faster. impacted by your diet, exercise and water intake. There’s no way to 7. Blood circulation encourages get around this and besides, it so positively impacts the rest of your growth. So go for a jog and workout for hair growth! life. Just go with it and I promise not to repeat it too many more 8. Your hair and nails are the last parts of your body to receive times … maybe. nutrients. So if you’re not drinking water and eating nutritious Give yourself time and the patience for trial and error. Save your foods (fried anything does not count), then you’re countering receipts and don’t be afraid to return products that don’t work. Stop your hair growth. putting golf ball amounts of product in your hair. Start with very 9. Genetics do impact your hair growth, but there are ways to small amounts and work your way up. counter it. Without getting too scientifc, see #7 and #8. 10. Now go make yourself a kale smoothie and be blessed with a In Chapter 3, I touched on rules to remember when looking for good dose of natural vitamin B. products and my preferred moisturizing routine. Remember the LCO method I mentioned (L = Liquid, C = Cream, O = Oil)? It’s an Basically, if your hair is really not growing or you’re experiencing a easy formula to help you fgure out what types of liquid, creams and higher than usual amount of shedding, it’s almost always an internal oil work for you or which variation of LCO works for you, maybe Super simple: Just wash your hair, apply a dab of whatever water- just the C + O. For instance, I have to use a water-based liquid. If I based spray you use and twist your hair down, then let it air dry for skip to just a lightweight, creamy leave-in, even if it is water based, about an hour. You’re doing so many things to help your hair-care my hair will be kind of moisturized when I frst style it, but as soon process out here, it’s wonderful. This gives you an opportunity to as I step out the house it’s crunch-dry city on my head. No bueno. section your hair for styling, air dry your hair for a better moisturizing process, and help combat shrinkage and frizz in your fnal style.

It’s all about the simple solutions to create an easy hair process!

The best-ever 10-step wash + moisturize routine for tightly coiled Type 4 hair We’ve covered most of these steps already, but here’s an easy guide to pull it all together.

1. Detangle hair with your hands. Do this at least once if you’re My hair doesn’t produce enough sebum (naturally occurring oil trying to jump-start a healthy hair routine. from your skin) for it to travel down my tightly coiled hair shaft, 2. To speed up the process, gently use a wide-tooth comb after so I have to add this moisture and then seal it in. And for most of applying a product to soften your hair (e.g., coconut oil or you who are having moisturizing frustrations, it’s the same base creamy conditioner). problem: Your hair is so tightly coiled that it’s hard for the sebum 3. As you detangle, section your hair and twist each section down your body naturally produces to travel down the hair shaft. Now, after detangling (for the TWAs, you can skip this step). take a step back and think about that for a moment… 4. Proceed to wash your hair, doing your best to keep your hair in the sections. If your tightly coiled hair is why sebum can’t travel down the hair 5. Shampoo, co-wash and deep condition at your discretion, but shaft, why would applying topical product to your hair in its shrunken always listen to your hair! Super dry? Give some time to a state be any better? Aha! That’s why I suggest moisturizing your good deep conditioning. Just took it out of a three-month-long hair while it’s slightly damp, giving you time to stretch it post-wash. protective style? Shampoo and deep condition, yes ma’am. 6. Rinse hair and dry with towel or cotton T-shirt. 7. Spray your liquid (water-based) leave-in on your hair and add a small dab of cream product to each section. 8. Twist hair and pin down to stretch. Allow to air dry until damp. 9. Moisturize damp hair with a small amount of cream product; seal with oil if needed. 10. Style hair! The growth of the natural hair community and the empowerment chapter fve. of women of color to comfortably wear their hair as they choose is beautiful and inspiring. But at no point should you ever feel The Right to Wear Your Hair obligated to be natural. Hair is an extension of one’s self and a great as you choose tool of expression. It should add to one’s character but never defne you. So please don’t take your hair too seriously and allow it to be a damp spot on your confdence and overall life. Enjoy it, celebrate it, but know that no matter how you choose to rock your hair, you will always have to learn how to take care of it. Honestly speaking, the way you care for your hair in its natural state is not much different from how you care for your hair with a .

Yeah girl, even if you think your hair was easier to manage while relaxed, that’s nothing more than heavily tinted rose glasses. Especially for those with tightly coiled hair, even learning how I will never forget my astonishment as my uncle did just that. I to properly relax your hair without burning your whole head and fnally got to go back to school with a doobie-wrap. Never mind turning it into a scab comes down to understanding how your hair that I thought it was cute to walk around with my hair bobby-pinned grows. No one needs an extra-strength relaxer. But many of us were into a wrap and then sit in the cafeteria brushing it down, because … slabbing on the extra-extra-creamy crack because we were unaware well, let the audience see, it swung. (Tosses hair.) My uncle changed of how our curl pattern works. my viewpoint on my hair and helped set a good foundation for when I fnally took the time to fgure out my natural hair. I got caught up I got my frst relaxer at 8 years old after begging my mother to in thinking I needed to do everything different for the naps that were relinquish me from the torture of having my hair hot combed while springing from my scalp. my father stood over me with a belt every week. MEMORIES! That relaxer burned something bad, but I was so happy with my swang And then one day after spending too much time on YouTube, looking time, you couldn’t tell me nothing about the two scabs that were left at too many baby-haired tutorials where someone just slabbed some on my head. But I kept hearing from my mom and hair stylist that grapeseed oil on their hair, and voilà, I had an epiphany. My uncle my hair was just soooooooo nappy it needed to be tamed with the had passed away and I was running through memories of him, while extra-extra whatever they had, whether it be relaxer or . I being frustrated with a failed hairstyle that I had bought new product didn’t understand why my new growth wouldn’t allow me to stretch for, and his sage words came to me. He changed my life twice over my relaxer past six weeks, and I thought using a lye-based extra- and I got my natural hair to swang. This time my audience wasn’t superior-strength relaxer would solve those problems. Fortunately, my schoolmates. I uploaded my swang time to YouTube, in hopes in eighth grade, we took a trip to my dad’s family reunion, where my of showing the world uncle fnally put me on to how my hair texture/curl pattern impacted that tightly coiled how work for me and that there was no reason for me to use Type 4 hair can be anything more than a kiddie relaxer on my hair. just as cute, sexy and refned as any other “You need to be patient, comb the product through your texture of hair, with hair because your hair coils up really tight, but if you simple adjustments to stretch it out by combing the product through, section by your hair routine.

section, you’ll get your best results.” It really is that simple.