GypsyCurls

Current Mood: Crying & Worried

As you know, I live in Cincinnati, Ohio!  I have been trying like mad to get the hell out of here!  It has not worked just yet.  I am trying to employ patience here.  But I have to be honest, it is one of the least progressive cities for people of color.  It is highly racially charged in its make up.  It affects a lot of people of color on their jobs everyday and not to mention trying to get a job.  This is one of those strange cities that even when the person of color is college educated, it just does not matter.  This is a good ole boys type of place, it is all about who you know.  And it is not a good idea to “remain” black.  So, who are you supposed to be then?  Hmmm?

So, let me know where you live.  And if your place rocks for a young black professional woman, please let me know where and why!  I am SOOOOOOOOOO ready to make a move and simply get ON with life!  Come on y’all, help me PLAN my BIG ESCAPE!!!

-Gypsy

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WTF is going on?

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Every vegetarian remembers his first time. Not the unremarkable event of his first meal without meat, mind you. No, I mean the first time he casually lets slip that he’s turned herbivore, prompting everyone in earshot to stare at him as if he just revealed plans to sail his carrot-powered plasma yacht to Neptune. For me, this first time came at an Elks scholarship luncheon in rural Oregon when I was 18. All day, I’d succeeded at seeming a promising and responsible young man, until that fateful moment when someone asked why I hadn’t taken any meat from the buffet. After I offered my reluctant explanation—and the guy announced it to the entire room—30 people went eerily quiet, undoubtedly expecting me to launch into a speech on the virtues of hemp. In the corner, an elderly, suited man glared at me as he slowly raised a slice of bologna and executed the most menacing bite of cold cut in recorded history. I didn’t get the scholarship.

I tell this story not to win your pity but to illustrate a point: I’ve been vegetarian for a decade, and when it comes up, I still get a look of confused horror that says, “But you seemed so … normal.” The U.S. boasts more than 10 million herbivores today, yet most Americans assume that every last one is a loopy, self-satisfied health fanatic, hellbent on draining all the joy out of life. Those of us who want to avoid the social nightmare have to hide our vegetarianism like an Oxycontin addiction, because admit it, omnivores: You know nothing about us. Do we eat fish? Will we panic if confronted with a hamburger? Are we dying of malnutrition? You have no clue. So read on, my flesh-eating friends—I believe it’s high time we cleared a few things up.

To demonstrate what a vegetarian really is, let’s begin with a simple thought experiment. Imagine a completely normal person with completely normal food cravings, someone who has a broad range of friends, enjoys a good time, is carbon-based, and so on. Now remove from this person’s diet anything that once had eyes, and, wham!, you have yourself a vegetarian. Normal person, no previously ocular food, end of story. Some people call themselves vegetarians and still eat chicken or fish, but unless we’re talking about the kind of salmon that comes freshly plucked from the vine, this makes you an omnivore. A select few herbivores go one step further and avoid all animal products—milk, eggs, honey, leather—and they call themselves vegan, which rhymes with “tree men.” These people are intense.

WAIT!  It does not end here.  Want the full story?  Click the link below!  Enjoy, you won’t regret taking the time to read it.  It is humorous while attacking the sensitive issue at hand when omnivores and herbivores collide.  LOL

http://www.slate.com/id/2190872/

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I know I have hit on this at some point in one of my blogs. It is about dry hair. Dry hair is a concern for curly and afro textured hair. Curly hair is usually baby fine and very soft to the touch. It is weightless and can be prone to frizzies and fly-aways. What I have noticed when reading ingredients is that almost all of them contain at least one protein in the formulation. Protein is very good for the hair. The hair is made up of the protein Keratin. Proteins repair, strengthen, adds moisture, and shine to the hair. Those are very good things for the hair. But there is a such thing as protein overload too. Curly hair is not damaged hair. It is hair in its healthiest state, especially if there is no heat usage or very minimal. There is slight wear and tear to the hair in the course of caring for the hair, such as washing, combing, brushing, and otherwise manipulating the hair. There are also environmental damage from wind, cold, heat, and the sun. So, proteins come in to repair the damage that this causes.

However, natural healthy hair does not need to be saturated in proteins. It can have the opposite affect and cause excessive breakage, brittleness, dryness, split ends, and an overall dullness to the hair. If you are anything like me, you have protein sensitive hair. My hair snaps under a lot of protein and leads to damage. My hair thanks me for drowning it in moisture and limiting the amount of protein that I use in my hair. I typically only use proteins in my deep conditioning treatments that I use on a weekly basis to repair the damage done by normal stress on the hair from daily manipulation. After each deep conditioning treatment that contains protein, I apply a very conditioning and moisturizing conditioner to my hair and leave in place for 15-30 minutes. This is the only way that I can use a protein based conditioner without suffering from ill-effects.

So, be on the lookout for how much protein you are using if you are natural. Natural hair does not need as much protein as color treated or relaxed hair does. The hair manufacturers cater to this population and therefore add protein to a lot of the products. It is very true for the hair gels on the market targeted for Afro textured hair. Employ caution if you are using these gels. Protein heavy gels leave my hair extra dry! Even with the use of a very creamy and moisturizing leave-in or moisturizer under it. I use this type of gel very sparingly. I have also found that gels filled with plastics such as carbomer (thickening agent) can make the hair dry too.

Here is a list of some of the proteins that you will find in your products (not all inclusive):

1. “Hydrolyzed” anything (CAUSES IMMEDIATE AND EXTREME DRYNESS ISSUES)
2. Soy (does not seem to cause issues to my hair)
3. Milk
4. Collagen
5. Casein
6. Silk (does not seem to cause undue issues to my hair)
7. Amino Acids (does not seem to cause undue issues to my hair)
8. Keratin
9. Wheat
10. Oat
11. Corn
12. Elastin

Ways to alleviate or deal with dry hair, stop breakage and brittleness:

1. Mineral oil - is a crude oil.  No nourishing properties for the skin or hair.  It coats and suffocates the hair strands and causes extreme dryness through brittleness and breakage.
2. Petroleum - see above.
3. Using natural products on your hair that nourish the hair.
4. Using moisturizing products for the hair (aloe vera, glycerin, honey, and etc)
5. Seal with a natural oil (olive, avocado, castor, coconut, jojoba, and etc.)
6. Check out what type of water you have from the chart in my previous post about hard water.  If you have hard water, you may want to invest in a shower filter or something for your whole house.  But a shower filter is a start.
7. Clarifying build-up:  ACV Rinse (apple cider vinegar), Baking Soda wash, Lemon-Aid (lemon cleansing)- *employ caution if your hair is color treated.  They will cut through any product buildup and restore moisture and shine to the hair.

What I have spoken about does not happen to everyone.  Some people’s hair loves proteins whether it is damaged or not.  But if you notice persistent dryness and you have taken the following precautions, then it just might be the protein-moisture balance.

If you are doing all of the above then eliminate proteins from your regimen entirely for two to four weeks and see if there is a difference.  Then add back in the protein and see what happens.  Jot it down what you are using and how much and how your hair feels.  Most importantly write down what protein is in the formulation.  It will help you notice or narrow down which ones, if any or all may give you issues.  This is just one approach that has helped me to deal with and stave off dryness issues.

Hope you find that some of this information helps or you find it useful.  Good Luck!!

-GypsyCurls

Research Corner:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/278612/the_fine_art_of_protein_and_moisture.html?cat=69

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As most of you know I have been natural since 1995. And all that time, I pretty much used what I felt was good for my hair. I used lots of Aveda and Paul Mitchell products. And in 2007 it all began to change. I felt that my hair could be better and I begin to search for the answers to why my hair was very dry and so forth. That led me to all natural hair care lines. And that led me to the Natural Foods Stores. There is one actually about 50 yards from where I live. I pass it everyday because it is at the foot of my drive way for the last 4 years. I visit it about once every week to get things to care for my hair. I learned that the closer to nature that it is, the better it is for my hair. My hair is currently healthy and strong. It is also growing too!

One day I was watching the news and I saw how these cows were being treated in this slaughterhouse that ships this same food to our schools for our children. It showed how they beat this poor cow and it could barely walk it was so sick. They even used a forklift to try to get the animal into the slaughterhouse to be killed. These two workers kicked and stomped this poor animal. I understand that it is going to die for human consumption, but this was just so inhumane. That is only part of it. The other part is that they are killing and selling “SICK” meat to the public. This cow clearly was not healthy. But it was killed and shipped off to unsuspecting customers as healthy meat. It made me think about what is actually on my table? What am I feeding to my children? What are we “really” putting in our bodies?

Well, if that was not enough…I am a researching and ran into this video! This pretty much did it for me. Buh-bye meat! I guess it was bound to happen one day.

There isn’t a hidden agenda with me posting this simple post at all. I had never really dreamed of going vegetarian. I quite enjoyed my delicious steaks and savory chicken breasts like nobody’s business. But after seeing this, I can no longer look at meat the same. It makes me sick to my stomach, because these images come up all the time. This is not an isolated incident. It seems to be pretty common. And I am finished with the possibility of “mad cow” disease and eating poorly handled meat and the inhumane treatment of the animals. Right now there are a few workers that work at a pork factory suffering from nervous system damage. They got it from the slaughterhouse.

There is so much that we are being handed that is a load of crap. There are many lobbyist in the White House that has more of a SAY than we do as citizens. Money talks. Just one small note, how is it that the American Dairy Association is the one in charge of the Food Pyramid? Sounds like a conflict of interest where we are concerned. There are many ethical reasons for being vegetarian. It starts some place and for various reasons for those that choose that route. I don’t care how it starts, but love that it does!

If you’re going to eat, please eat responsibly.

I guess my personal decision is not so personal anymore. But I can safely say that I shared it among friends! *hugs*

The video below is rather horrific. Please exercise and employ caution if you decide to watch it. Before, you do, trust that it will change the way you look at meat, whether you continue to eat it or not. Knowledge indeed is very powerful. What you know, you cannot change the fact that you do. Now change, that is entirely a different story.

Meet Your Meat

Research Corner:

Vegetarian Starter Kit

The Vegetarian Way

Vegetarianism Starts Here

101 Reasons Why I Am a Vegetarian

Why Vegan?

Even If You Like Meat

Compassionate Choices

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1. I co-wash in the shower with a very watery conditioner from either VO5 or Suave.
2. I apply conditioner and then begin to detangle my hair with the rich moisturizing conditioner in my hair.
3. As I am detangling my hair, I braid or twist and then apply a clip to hold it, it in about 4-8 sections with the conditioner still on my hair.
4. I let the conditioner continue to soak in while I shower.
5. I either rinse out all the conditioner, or apply a creamy leave-in/moisturizer or a moisturizing spritz to my hair.  Or I just rinse out part of the conditioner and leave some in.
6. These gathered sections will keep your hair very wet at the same time, so once you are out of the shower; you can begin adding your product.
7. Your hair is already detangled from the shower.  So, you don’t have to do that again.
8. I take down one section at a time and finger comb/rake my product (moisturizer and/or styler) into my hair.  I repeat until all sections are done.
9. Sometimes I use my Denman to apply and distribute my product into my hair.  If I use the Denman, then after it is on all the hair strands, I take my hands and do the rake and smooth method, especially to smooth the ends and reclump the curls.
   
10. I shake my hair gently to separate the curls as much as possible and increase movement for when it dries.
11. At this point I look at my curls and see which ones may need a little more attention and spiral a few of them with a little more product, if I think that they are still frizzy or will dry frizzy.  I don’t do too many, because I am trying to preserve my curl definition.  And remember, it may not appear right when wet, but usually dries fine.  I have found that the more I mess with it when wet, the worst it looks when dry.
12. I may or may not lightly spritz my hair with a moisturizing spray.  It really depends on what I am using if I need extra moisture in my hair to keep it from drying crunchy.
13. I let my hair air dry and I do not touch it for about an hour.
14. It usually takes my hair about 8 hours to air dry all the way to the roots.  You can use a diffuser if needed.  I hardly apply any to no heat to my hair.
15. If I am pulling my hair up or into a ponytail, after about 30 minutes or so drying (it allows the curls to lock in better) then I will gather and style my hair into whatever up do or ponytail I prefer.  And it makes for more defined updos when you wait a few minutes before manipulating.  And if the sides are too dry to manage, then you can moisten them with your favorite spritzer for a little for ease of styling.
16. At night I sleep on a satin/silk pillowcase.  So, I do not tie my hair down.  I usually awaken and fluff the back of my smashed hair.  If needed, I revive the curls with my homemade moisturizing spritz with a light mist of moisture and a dab of moisturizer.

This is also very similar to the Curlisto Method.  And remember this does not work for everyone, but it should work for most.  This is mainly aimed at those that want to “enhance” their already defined curls or pony puffs.  Anyone with hair that is 3B to 4A will probably find that it works well.  It may be more of a challenge for those with 4B hair, but not by much.  I think this will really help you enhance your natural curl pattern as much as possible.  But your final results may not be the same as other curl patterns.

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I was thinking about this one day. And I have found that there are about three reasons why women don’t do the big chop. One, they are so attached to long straight hair, two they are afraid of how they would look with short, and thirdly they are basically afraid of having short natural hair. The problem that I have with this is that it is based on societal norms for so called beauty. I have expressed this thought numerous times in my blogs. If there was not “one” idea of what represents beauty whether or not we fall into naturally (straight long hair) we will do anything to attain it. And that usually means killing our natural hair and psyche. A lot of women are afraid that they will not get a man or will lose a man if they cut their hair down to the new growth. Some are afraid of what others will think such as family members and girlfriends. A few are worried about how coworkers and bosses will take to this new look. And the rest are afraid of their natural hair and have no idea how to care for it outside of pressing or chemically relaxing it. Dare I say that some women are actually repulsed by their natural hair texture? Yeah, unfortunately that happens and that has more to do with a psychological mindset than the texture of the person’s hair. If someone feels that way, then that person may need actual counseling, for a renewing of the mind and the spirit. To me, that is a severe form of self-hate and most likely at an unconscious level.

Some women regardless of ethnicity and hair texture all regard long hair with femininity and beauty. There are two stocks of long hair worshippers. One is the woman that has “never” had short hair and are used to the security and the accolades from having longer hair brings. The other is the one who has struggled to have long hair and believes the myth that afro textured hair does not grow or does not grow long. Well, you’re in luck because afro textured hair grows like any other texture of hair. The length able to be fully achieved is based precisely on genetics.

Transitioning takes more work. So be on guard if you feel that you cannot cut your hair in a BC. And be aware of some of the pitfalls. Here are some just to name a few. So, if you are more comfortable with transitioning, then hopefully this will detail some issues and help you to overcome by doing the opposite in some cases. I did not transition. I tried and I never made it pass the 3-4 month mark. So, I am no expert on it. I have seen at least 3 people that were able to transition VERY well and still have healthy natural hair. Most of the other women, I have witnesses what is outlined below.

1. A lot of newly seeking naturals tend to cater more to the relaxed hair than taking better care of the new growth, the actual hair they are about to embrace.
2. The point at which the natural hair and the relaxed hair meet is a “breaking” point. When it comes to combing, styling, and manipulating the hair, it loses and it breaks at this stress point.
3. Once it begins to break, well you know the story. It travels the length of the hair. And it is traveling right to your new growth. So, now you are starting off your beautiful natural hair with issues of breakage.
4. Flat ironing, pressing, and the use of other heat implements are very damaging to the newly natural hair. You are drying out very healthy hair. You’re damaging it and destroying your curl pattern. Now you’re working against yourself and your hair.
5. It is very few people that can carry off the two textures look. Most cannot. The texture difference and look is way too extreme.
6. How do you figure out what products to use for your hair? The two textures, the fact that one is chemically altered needs very different types of products.
7. Why take so much care of hair that you are going to cut anyway? Is your reason one of the two above?
8. It usually has a higher degree of frustration dealing with the two different textures. And after a while, if the person is not determined, there is a higher propensity to return to relaxing.
9. Some people suffer from scab hair. Scab hair is the hair that is just below the surface of the scalp. It grows in very damaged from the relaxing process and gives a false clue as to what your true texture of hair will be. Many women have ran back to the relaxer when coming face to face with this initial growth of hair. It pays to arm yourself on what to prepare for and what is real.
10. Our natural hair is some of the softest hair around. It is usually very fine in nature, therefore making it prone to brittleness and being dry because of unique structural makeup. So moisture, moisture, and more moisture is the key.
11. Relying on braids and other means of transitioning blocks you from being able to get to know your hair in its natural state. It takes away the ability to be able to narrow down what it likes and what types of products work best for your particular hair and hair needs.
12. Braids if not taking extremes measures can be damaging to your hair, not to mention your hairline. Trust me, I know about breaking a promise to care for my edges while wearing micros for 8 months. And it led to more breakage because of various ends sticking out of the braids.

Transitioners Code: Clip at least 1 inch of relaxed hair each month as you gain 1/2 inch in new growth. It will help you to get to your natural hair much easier and much quicker sans the BIG CHOP. Wear curly styles, buns, updos, and other styles that help to blend the relaxer hair to look more like the natural hair, and NOT the other way around. Mind your ends that they do not split or cause any serious adverse effects. Bathe your hair in MOISTURE! Put the heat away and do roller sets to straighten hair. Now is a great time to wear strawsets and so forth. Find fotkis of ladies that are transitioning well and mimic the things that they do that will work for your hair and hair type.

Good Luck!!

-GypsyCurls

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I know you are wondering what I am about to talk about according to the title of this blog session. Well, remember when I just blogged about maybe the dryness of your hair could be the quality of your water? Remember when I said that we have extremely hard water here in Ohio? Well, that is still true, unfortunately. But remember when I told you that I finally ordered a shower filter to soften my water? Well, I finally received and installed it. All I can say is, “WOW!!!!!!!!”

I mean what a difference it makes in terms of the hair and the SKIN! My skin is just as dry as my hair. And my skin felt like velvet and my hair….Well, let’s just say, “I had to get up off the ground!” I thought this was going to have to take about 2 weeks to notice and see a difference. This was IMMEDIATE! As soon as the water touched my skin and hair, they both were in love.

So, let’s talk about the hair. This is why we’re here, right? Well, my hair is very dry from the henna. And I have been working with Qhemet Biologics which has helped in that tremendously. I so heart QB!! Well, well, well…let me just say that my hair is thready. It usually wets down fairly easily but dries out even quicker. My hair clung to my head and flattened out without looking frizzy. It looked as if I could actually go productless. My hair looked like I had product in it. Can you believe it? It was ultra soft. It was shiny and well defined! I mean, my hair accepted my beloved AOHC and OHHB without any issues. And it worked even better. My hair was able to be damp instead of soaking wet as I usually style my hair. I could have used the moisturizers alone. But since it has been pretty humid I added some AOMM to keep any frizzies at bay. Usually it does not matter what type of gel I use, my hair is usually a little crunchy. NOT TODAY! My hair was not crunchy at all. My hair did shrink; hey it does what it does. But my hair did not shrink as much, it curled better IMO, and it is much softer than it has EVER been with gel usage.

So, to bring this to a close….all I will say, is YOUR HAIR will LUB LUB you for it. If you already have soft water, then no need, you already know what I am talking about. If you don’t know how good you have it, then travel some place that has hard water and you will! LOL

I got mine from here. I am just showing it to you and giving you some information on it. You’re more than welcome to do your own research like I did for the best one that you can afford. If you decide to get this one or any one, please check back in a let me know how it is working for you!

-GypsyCurls

***If you are wondering what those acronyms are, please see my pages that tell you what is in my hair.

http://www.aquasanausa.com/shopping/aquasana-aq4105-shower-filter-and-wand-p-3.html

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This is definitely the Million Dollar question for those that are curly and natural. It could also be for those that have relaxed hair as well. But that is not my focus, my focus is on natural and naturally curly hair. I have worked very hard for me to have “touchably” soft hair. I had been plagued with hard or more drier hair. I have worked diligently to purchase and use very moisturizing products for my hair. Please see my products list. What has always boggled me, is that someone with hair similar to mine and basically using the same things and techniques that I do, report having very soft hair. So, if I am basically doing the same and using the same things, then why does product XYZ make my hair crunchy no matter how much or how little I use?

It must be the quality of the water. Hard water can render your hair hard and dry. I live in OHIO and we have the HARDEST water around. It is considered extremely hard! Awww man! So ladies, it probably isn’t your hair or what your using that is the culprit. It could be your water. GRRRrrrrrrrr!!

Just something to think about!! (It is not just about the hair, but also about the outer and inner body as well!)

Skin and hair are affected by hard water. A greater amount of shampoo and soap is needed to clean, and hard water doesn’t rinse as well as soft water. That means soap residues remain, leaving skin susceptible to blemishes and hair less shiny.

Resource Center

http://www.systemsaver.com/morton-website/education/water-facts/common-water-problems.html 

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I know most ladies that are natural and even some that are not have opted for protective styles to just give their hair a break from day to day manipulation, to achieve growth, and ease of not having to deal with it on a regular basis. I opted to do some box braids because I loved the way that twists that I did a few weeks ago turned out. And I have done box braids on my hair, but have always added synthetic hair when doing so.

I always love the look each and every time. However, what I have found is that my hair does not respond well to protective styles. I think it stresses my hair in a different way than most other naturals and curlies. I take really good care of it by keeping it moisturized and sealed with oil. I also spritz my hair with a moisturizing spray. I am not sure what it is, but my hair seems much drier in these styles than not. It dries my hair out terribly. So, I am from the train of thought that for some strange reason these sort of protective styles backfires on me. I am inclined to believe that the good stuff that I do for and to my hair winds up sitting on the shaft and not penetrating. And it acts as a barrier and seals out moisture and nutrients. When I take my hair down, it feels like synthetic hair does. I will be the first to say that I DON’T like it at all.

With all of that being said, it may mean that my hair is more fond of the ponypuff, ponytail, bun, and updo for a break in styling and manipulation. My hair likes to be free like the wind. Hence the name, GypsyCurls. My curls really are of a gypsy nature. I don’t know where they came from, but I DO know that they like to be free. So, I am now opting out of braids and twists for the purpose of protection, but will use them for a style for a few days and nothing more. I have learned to listen to my hair and not what all the “noise” says.

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