Happy New Year - I'm Back for 2014

Hello Everyone, and Happy New Year!!! I hope the past few months found everyone well and everyone had a good Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Holiday, and New Years Eve!

If you read my last post (months and months ago) then you know that I had some computer trouble. All of a sudden I couldn't even get to my desk top page on my computer. I tried using the blogger app, but typing long blogs as I do was made worse by typos from using my phone, plus the photo placement wouldn't have been what I wanted. I tried using my father in law's laptop that was on loan to us, but Blogger website wouldn't work properly. Yes, these may sound like excuses, but they were true. My wonderful hubby got my computer working again, even though it is literally falling apart thanks to my little girl, and I thought what better way to start my blog again but to start fresh in 2014.

Even though I haven't been posting in my blog for a few months, it doesn't mean I have just been sitting around. My daughter, Lola, turned 2 and with that even more of her rambunctious personality came through. Halloween at my job is always a big event, with departments competing against each other for a company paid lunch (and Lola was Run DMC for Halloween, though she looked more like LL Cool J.) My holidays were good with the family, even though we had to work. Lola just became really aware of Christmas and was excited about everything associated with it. Work has been going well and I became a nail polish addict.

Hair wise, I feel I have been slacking off. There were so many things I wanted to try and do but life got in the way. I still have ideas that I want to make happen and goals I want to obtain, but it may take a bit longer than I imagined. Don't worry, there will be more details in a future blog I have planned. I also discovered two hair products that I absolutely adored and was about to blog about one when the whole computer fiasco happened. I still plan on writing about them in upcoming blogs, but unfortunately there may not be pictures from when I used it. I may have to do some digging.

One thing I have come to realize is blogging about my hair kept me honest. I made sure that I washed, deep conditioned, and moisturized my hair on a regular basis. Even if I wore it in a small fro pushed back with a scarf, I still made sure I moisturize my hair. Not so much since I stopped blogging. This started as a way for me to document my journey and it will continue to be that. I have to look at myself (and my hair) and figure out what I have been doing wrong, what I need to do to fix it, and keep doing it. I have a personal goal to be serious about getting healthy in 2014 and I need to keep that same mindset to get my hair to a healthy place as well. I was off to a good start, now I need to continue. I still keep thinking to myself, "You have been natural for 10 years. How is your hair not longer and healthier?" It is a question I asked myself when I started, and I continue to do so. My goal is to have a definitive answer and make sure I am not asking my self the same question in another 10 years.

On that note, I want to say thank you for bearing with me during my absence, and I hope you all will continue to read as I continue to write.

Here's to 2014. CHEERS!

~Millah Sirhea

The Versatility of Black Hair

I had my hair relaxed for the first time in 3rd grade, I believe. The last time I relaxed my hair, I was 19 years old. The decision to never have a relaxer again wasn't one that I contemplated on for very long. I was about 21 when I made the decision. For two years I kept my hair braided or twisted. As I kept taking them down and combing out my hair, I thought to myself, I look good with a fro. It was then that I realized how versatile my hair can be, and I loved it!

I never knew how confined I was when it came to having relaxed hair because it was all I knew, aside from single braids or cornrows. Relaxing my hair meant having my hair chemically straightened. The relaxer, which was about the consistency of mayonnaise or a thick conditioner was something that could burn your scalp. Because of this, I couldn't scratch my head a week before getting it relaxed or "touched up." This could cause the relaxer to get into the open sore, burn, and create scabs - of which I always had. I couldn't get my hair wet. Water would cause my hair to crinkle or "kink up." When washing my hair every week, I had to wrap or roll it with rollers and sit under the hair dryer. I hated sitting under the hair dryer. Still do. Or, I could blow dry it or use a flat iron to get it as straight as possible. Sure, I could curl it with a curling iron as well, but that was about it. Even if I wanted my hair braided, I was told to wait until I had new growth so that the braids would have something kinky to hold on too, as opposed to the sleek straightened hair. 

During the two years I kept my hair braided and twisted, I kept noticing my afro. After coming to the conclusion that I could rock an afro with complete confidence, I realized that if I relaxed my hair again, I wouldn't be able to wear an afro. I also realized I could get my hair braided when ever I wanted and not have to wait for my kinky hair to grow out before doing so. Lastly, I realized if I wanted my hair straight, I would just get it pressed. I didn't need to have a chemical on my hair to straighten it, and I could still wear any style I wanted to. 

Once I decided to start taking care of my hair, I looked to the internet to find out how. I also found several new hair styles I wasn't aware of. two strand twists, flat twists, twist outs, braid outs, coils, up-dos, even how to give my hair the "spiral curl" look, and the look of having big soft curls, all with out the use of a curling iron. Amazing!  Some styles, I've tried, others I haven't, and still some that need a bit more (okay a lot more) work on my end. I love being able to play with my hair, and I want to be able to master the different styles. I just know it is going to take some time. 

There are even so many styles for men, such as coils, corn rows, dread locks, twsts, twist outs, braid outs, and straw sets - not just the close cut fade that most men wear. I was even able to help a friend out who needed a style that would allow him to retain his length, as he has been growing his hair for months, but still looked neat and professional. I suggested finger coils or comb coils, and he said it was a perfect style for what he needed.

Even though this blog started out as a way to help me document where I've been, where I am, and where I want to go, I am happy that it's helping people out. I'm very excited to be where I am on my kinky hair journey. I am learning to take care of my hair, style it, and I am coming into my own. 

Thank You for reading, and as always,

Happy Healthy Hair,

~Millah Sirhea

Castor Oil Challenge via Kinky Curly Coily Me - Week 5: Length Check (Part II)

In case you are wondering why I am posting this again, I realized I accidentally deleted the original post. Oops. Of course things are never as good as the first time, but I would like to try to recreate some of that previous blog magic.

Kinky Curly Coily Me, a website that I frequent is doing a summer castor oil challenge. Use any type of castor oil on your hair a minimum of three days a week for three months. Every week we check in, and June 29th happened to be a length check. I decided to use Jamaican Black Castor Oil (JBCO) to help retain moisture, help re-grow my edges (as they have been disappearing over the years), and of course length. How did I do, you ask? Well, take a look:

Yay! My hair grew! It went from being at the tip of my nose to the top of my lip. I have to say, in conjunction with my weekly hair care regimen, the JBCO has helped. Unfortunately, I can't tell with my edges. I am assuming since my hair itself grew, then my edges did a bit too. Sounds good, right? I did take a picture of my edges the day I did my length check, so I will compare at the end of July. As far as retaining moisture, I think it has helped. My hair has remained soft. Even on my lazy days when I don't set my hair for bed, it isn't dried out the next day. Before I started taking care of my hair, I would notice that even though I oiled my hair, it still felt crunchy or dry. With the JBCO, my hair doesn't feel oily either. Definitely a big difference, and I am very happy with my results so far.

If you are reading this for a second time, thanks for hanging in there while I repeated my self. To everyone, thank you very much for reading, it is very much appreciated.

Happy Healthy Hair,
~Millah Sirhea

Back to the Beginning.....

When starting  this blog, I knew I wanted to talk about my hair both past and present. I also knew that meant showing where I have been and where I am now. In order to do this I had to go back....way back...to the days of Myspace! I pulled several pictures from myspace.com, but in doing so I realized two things: I had no pictures of myself from before 2006, and even back then my hair was long. Well, longer than it is today. So I asked myself, what was I doing then that I am not doing now, and how is it I have been natural for TEN years and have not had any length past the nape of my neck, but there are those who have done the big chop and after less than a year, their length has surpassed mine? These are the things I hope to address not only in this post, but in future posts as well.

A couple of days ago a friend of mine called me to talk about our hair. He wants to grow his hair, but doesn't want to have to keep his hair braided or get dreads or locks. I mentioned a lot of the websites I frequented when I first started searching for ways to maintain my hair. I spoke about my trip down hair memory lane on myspace.com and I told him i didn't realize how long my hair was then. He asked me, "What happened!?" While I am not entirely sure what happened between then and now, I did realize something. Back then, I braided my hair in sections every night, covered it up, and picked it out every morning. (In the past year and a half, not so much.) I didn't do anything special to moisturize it, nor did I have a set hair regimen. I always wore it in an afro with my front pinned back, or in an afro puff with a scarf. When I wanted a different look, I would get my hair braided in singles, cornrows, or twists.

Cornrows

braid out

twists

afro

When I washed my hair I mostly used Pantene for Women of Color shampoo and conditioner. Then, while my hair was soaking wet, I would use blue magic hair grease or the coconut oil hair grease. I would put that on my hair then braid my hair in sections. After a couple of years doing this, I found that my hair would hold the crimp made from the braid (see braid out.) That style didn't last long, as my hair changed and it never captured the same style again.

I went back to my natural hair at a time when everyone wasn't doing it.  I didn't have anyone around me that was natural as I was, so there wasn't anyone I could go to specifically for help.  My mother advised me that I didn't need heavy grease, and not to grease my hair, but oiling my scalp would suffice. She even suggested a light perm to make my hair more manageable and give it a bit more definition, but I declined. I did not want to put a relaxer on my hair again. Ever.

So I soldiered on with my kinky hair, never looking back.

Thanks for reading, and until the next post,

Happy Healthy Hair,
~Millah Sirhea

Castor Oil Challenge via Kinky Curly Coily Me

Once I decided to get it together and start getting my hair to a healthy state, I started looking online for tips, products, and support. I found several on Facebook as well as through  a plain old internet search. While browsing one site, something might catch my eye and it would lead me to another. One website I found is Kinky Curly Coily Me. A week or so ago I came across a castor oil challenge for the summer months.

Some problem areas I am working on are obtaining length, getting my edges back (they are  ever so slowly disappearing), and keeping my scalp nice and moisturized. I seem to have issue with a flaky scalp. Castor oil is supposed to help in all of these areas! Go figure. Seems like I came across this challenge at just the right time.

According to Help Health, massaging castor oil into your scalp helps to stimulate it which improves the blood flow to your skin and hair follicles, thus improving hair growth. The antibacterial and anti-fungal properties also improve the quality of the scalp helping your hair to grow as well.

Kinky Curly Coily Me has several before and after photos of people who have used castor oil and saw results. Even though the challenge began June 1st, you have until June 7th to join and you can do that by going here.

June 1st was the start of the challenge. I have never used castor oil before, but I committed myself to using it at least 3 times a week for 3 months for this challenge. I started by oiling my scalp with Jamaican Black Castor Oil after twisting my hair before bed. I also plan on doing a hot oil treatment once per week. I plan to document each week, and below is my twist out the next morning. Eh, still a work in progress for that amazing twist out, but that is why I am here, right?

If you are unsure on how to use castor oil for your hair, eHow and Transitioning Movement offer options. Not sure where to buy? One site I frequent is curlmart.com, but I bought mine on Amazon.

Well, I am signing off for the night. Thanks for reading, and please feel free to leave a comment with any feedback.

Happy Healthy Hair!

~Millah Sirhea