Why You Should Steam Your Locs

There are two main reasons why you should steam your locs: Moisture and Hydration.

Let’s get into it.

Moisture & Hydration

Moisture is important to all hair, but especially to locs. Once you loc your hair, it becomes harder for water to penetrate the hair and get to where it needs to be. That is why dry, brittle locs are a problem for loc wearers. This is also why those with locs are encouraged to drink plenty of water daily and spritz their hair with some kind of water or water based treatment.

Another factor to consider is living in a cold weather environment. The winter months can be brutally cold and dry. These conditions can have harsh effects on natural hair and locs. Without proper moisture, your hair will become brittle and eventually break off which makes steaming your locs even more important.

Hydrated locs will feel soft and look shiny and healthy, but the hydration needs to start on the inside first. On October 14, 2020, the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, found that an adequate daily fluid intake is: About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men. About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women. Proper water intake is key to proper hydration for your overall health, body and hair!

Gentleman getting loc steaming treatment

The Benefits of Warm Steaming Your Locs

1. Warm steam lifts your hair cuticle which allows treatments to penetrate the hair shaft. It also opens the pores in the scalp that allows for better absorption.
2. Cleanses your scalp and locs by loosening up dirt and dead skin.
3. Encourages blood flow to your hair follicles which promotes hair growth.
4. Helps fight against dryness and breakage and instead gives you soft, shiny locs.

How To Steam Your Locs

Let’s be honest, hair steamers are not cheap. Just go to amazon.com and price them. But there are ways around this.

1. Use your shower to steam your locs. It’s cheap and convenient.
2. If you choose to purchase a home steamer with the hood, make sure you do your research and buy a quality one.
3. Purchase a hand held steamer. It’s cheaper than a hooded steamer and you can take it anywhere you go.
4. Boil a pot of water on your stove. Carefully sit it in front of you and hold your face and locs over it and take in all that nice steam.
5. For ultimate moisture and hydration, oil your scalp with your favorite oil (preferably a light oil) before steaming your locs.

Happy steaming!

Loose Natural or Loc’d, You Need Almocado Products In Your Life!

I was gifted Almocado Seaweed Shampoo and the moisturizing peppermint Daily Spritz by Youtuber Leecey Leece aka Lisa. She is an amazing person with a big kind heart. We’ve bonded over our not-so-good sisterlocks experiences and both have created videos speaking on them. We both desire to help others through our experiences so they can have better outcomes with their sisterlocks journey than we have. Lisa knows I have issues with dandruff and have been searching for other natural things to use on my locs besides the sisterlocks brand shampoos. I’m currently using the sisterlocks dandruff shampoo, which works just fine, but I’m open to using something else.

What is almocado?

They are a black-owned family business based in South East London. They make all natural, organic products specifically for those with kinky, coily hair. They have a line of gentle cleansers, deep conditioners, daily moisturizers, and protective balms that leave your hair soft and very manageable.

Over the weekend I tried the Seaweed shampoo and it left my locs feeling amazing. First, I got an instant lather. It wasn’t too much lather, but just enough. Second, I love the way the shampoo smells and feels. It’s almost a clear color and a little goes a long way. I felt the difference in my hair after the first wash. By the second shampoo, my hair felt light and silky. I didn’t try the Peppermint Daily Spritz until Sunday night. I spritzed my hair with it and followed it with my Wild Growth Moisturizing Oil on my ends. I plaited my hair in small plaits so I could have curly definition the next morning. The entire night I smelled the gentle smell of peppermint and it made me happy!

Plait out results

My Plait Out Results. #Definition

Monday morning when I took my plaits down I had very defined curls and waves and my hair still feels soft and smooth. I’m in love with this line of products and I can’t wait to try more! Next on my list is the Peppermint Tea Tree Shampoo which is supposed to be great for dandruff issues. What I love about Almocado is that their products can be used on loose natural hair or loc’d hair. So my daughters, who have loose natural hair, can use and benefit from their products as well.

Support black businesses!

But don’t support just because it’s a black business. Support because they are a black business that sells great products. I’ve never been one to blindly support someone just because. I’ve tried two of their products and I can confidently say that they offer great quality products made from the finest ingredients. Please go to https://www.almocado.com/ and read up on the business, what they offer, and then purchase.

Dry, Brittle, Dusty Looking Sisterlocks

This time last year I was almost two months into my sisterlocks journey, and I didn’t experience any extreme dryness or curly pieces of hair falling onto my shirt. Well, this winter I have very dry, dusty looking sisterlocks with small pieces of hair (shedding) falling onto my shoulders when I run my fingers through my locs. I’m one year into my loc journey and I haven’t used anything in my hair other than the sisterlocks dandruff shampoo that I just ran out of…until a few weeks ago.

I use vitamin e oil on my locs

*GASP*

Because of my dandruff and itchy scalp issues, I began to oil my scalp with vitamin e oil and other essential oils that help scalp conditions naturally. I only oil the problem areas, not my entire scalp. I also made an oil concoction mixed with distilled water that I can spritz onto my locs and scalp every so often. But lately I’ve noticed that wasn’t enough. My locs are extremely dry and the shedding began to concern me. So after I washed my hair this past Saturday, I decided that I would lightly apply vitamin E oil directly to my locs. I decided to go this route because I haven’t researched a good loc moisturizer to use yet, and I want to consult with my loctician. Remember, I haven’t seen her since October. Anyhoo, not only do my locs look better, but they feel better. Please keep in mind that I don’t put oil on my scalp or locs daily. Only as needed. Also, I know that oil alone is not a moisturizer, that’s why I made the oil and water blend to balance it out.

Hair washing increased and on a regular schedule

Of course, since I am using oil on my scalp and locs, I need to wash my locs regularly so that I don’t get nasty build up in my locs. So far I am not noticing any build up. In order for this to continue, I have to continue to be diligent about washing my hair. I am determined to stick to washing my hair once a week as long as I use oil on my hair. When I see my loctician next week, I will express my desire to use a moisturizer of some kind on my locs to combat the dryness and shedding that I’m experiencing due to our cold winter weather.

Satin lined beanie from fairlyblackmother.com

On a side note, it’s time for me to think more about covering my locs and protecting them more. I need to stop leaving the house without covering my locs. I’m going to purchase a satin lined winter hat. I found some nice ones on Amazon, Etsy.com, kinksandcoils.com, and graceeleyae.com. When visiting their sites, search for satin lined winter hats.

Dry, brittle, dusty looking locs isn’t cute on anyone. It’s bad enough I have a bush of new-growth under my locs, but to have them looking dry and ashy too? No ma’am. Not cute. What do you do for your locs during the winter months? Do you moisturize them, and if so what do you use? I’d love to hear from you no matter what kind of locs you have!

Happy 10 Months Sisterlocked To Me!

Mini photo shoot taken on my 10 month loc anniversary 9/16/19. Wavy hair after a braid out. I was feeling cute!

In two months I will be sisterlocked for an entire year!!! This is craziness, and the time zoomed by! Right now, I have questions on when I can start using products to moisturize my locs and light oils on my scalp. I will be asking my loctician this question very soon via telephone call or text message. I don’t plan on using oils every day or anything because I don’t want buildup in my locs. But from time to time, add a little. We’ll see what my loctician says.

I’m also going to try something different. Because of my issues with slippage I have refrained from washing my hair so often. I’ve been having dandruff issues, well I always had dandruff issues, but I think it’s time to get back to a more frequent hair washing schedule. So I’m going to try washing my hair every two weeks and see if that helps. I was trying to fight my slippage issue but my scalp said “Nah, sis. This ain’t workin.” I hear you, scalp. I’m about to do better by you. 😉

Anyway, HAPPY 10 MONTH SISTERLOCKED ANNIVERSARY TO ME! 10 months down, forever to go!

Pure Unrefined Shea Butter is NOT Yellow!

Early in my natural hair journey, I was ga-ga over shea butter, and I thought the yellow kind was the real deal. Nope. In my naive excitement, I was duped. I fell for the okey-doke, and as a result, I ordered this stuff in bulk and even received a bad (moldy) batch once. That’s when I stopped using shea butter and started looking into other natural, REAL butters.

Correction is needed

Looking back on my earlier posts on this blog about shea butter, I feel the need to correct the information I gave regarding shea butter, especially when I pride myself on giving the best information and advice possible when it comes to natural hair.

To recap: Shea Butter is an all natural product that comes from the nuts of the karite shea tree. It is often used in cosmetic and skincare products such as facial creams, soaps and lotions. Shea butter is a skin nourishing emollient that can be applied to the skin or hair in its pure form, allowing your skin and hair to receive all of it’s healing and moisturizing benefits.

Pure unrefined shea butter

Pure unrefined shea butter is packed with Vitamins A, E, F, and K. Containing many fatty acids, it is a very effective moisturizer. These fatty acids are needed to retain skin elasticity and moisture. It can be used daily as a pure moisturizer or be used as a barrier against harsh elements.

How to identify pure unrefined shea butter

How do you identify pure unrefined shea butter? You can identify it by its color and smell. Pure unrefined shea butter is white or beige in color and has a characteristic nutty/smoky scent. This shea butter is made from the nut of the shea tree without any additives or chemical processing. Yellow Shea butter is made and processed similarly from the same nut with the addition of the Borututu tree root during the milling process. Additives are added which lessen or completely take away the many natural healing properties and vitamin benefits.

make an informed choice

The choice is yours: If you want the pure unrefined shea butter which will give you the most benefits for your skin and hair, make sure it’s white or beige and nutty in scent. However, if you don’t mind having processed shea butter with little or none of the healing benefits and vitamins, then the yellow shea butter is for you.

Whatever you decide, I want you to be well informed on what you purchase to use on your body or in your hair. While we’re discussing pure unrefined shea butter, let’s go over the many benefits this butter offers:

skin Benefits

*Shea butter has the ability to soothe, hydrate and balance your skin.

*It is used as a moisturizer for dry skin and eczema, as a dry scalp treatment, for chapped lips and to help soften cracked dry skin on heels, elbows and knees.

*Shea butter has natural anti-inflammatory properties that have been known to heal scrapes, cuts and burns; relieve sunburn and rashes; take the sting out of insect bites, and ease the pain from muscle fatigue and arthritis.

*Shea butter has been used for centuries as a wrinkle reducer. Shea butter contains essential fatty acids, along with vitamins A and E, which are imperative to maintaining your skin’s elasticity and suppleness.

Hair Benefits

*Shea butter is a great natural sealant to lock in moisture on your natural tresses. Apply to the ends of your hair and twist or plait up after a wash and deep conditioning.

*As a scalp treatment, it can help with dandruff, eczema or itchy scalp. It does not clog pores as many believe if you wash your hair regularly.

*It is a sun protectant for your precious coils from damaging UV rays.

*With many of the vitamins that are packed in pure unrefined shea butter, it aids in hair growth.

I hope this information helps you to make the best-informed decision for your skin and hair health.

Fake 4c Naturals? Let’s Talk About It!

Issa thing, y’all.

First, this blog post was inspired by YouTube vlogger KandidKinks video that spoke on this very subject.  Click on the link to watch.

Do you really have 4c hair, sis?

To be completely honest, when I started my natural hair journey and began doing my research, I saw a lot of natural hair bloggers or vloggers who claimed to have 4c hair OR type 4 hair that had me like “Hmmm…are you sure, sis? Your hair looks NOTHING like mine!” But I rolled with it because I was still learning (shoulder shrug). Fast forward a couple of years and I still never really spoke on it, but the skepticism was still in the dark recesses of my mind. When I started my natural hair journey I had the mindset of ‘let’s support one another and be encouraging because we’re all in this natural hair thing together.’ I didn’t want to leave room for any negativity. I was adorably naive. I say that because even though that was and still is my mindset, I quickly found out that is not the case within the natural hair community. There is a huge divide among us, and I hate it. But that’s a story for another day. And I’ve blogged about it many times.

However…

It was a total fluke that I stumbled upon KandidKinks video. I was doing my usual YouTube perusing one night, and the title of her video “Stop lying to 4c women for views..A vegan Mukbang rant” got my immediate attention. So let’s get into it.

The elephant in the room

As I stated earlier, I’ve had my suspicions for a long time, but I just rolled with it.  Now it’s time to acknowledge the elephant in the room. There are bloggers and vloggers (I’m not going to call any names) who have made coins off of claiming to have 4c hair when they clearly do not. In turn, these so-called natural hair experts have less informed women (and men) who are seeking guidance and help, thinking they can get the same curly, loose definition as a 3a, 3b, or even a 4a natural by using certain products or methods. Not only is this all kinds of wrong, but it is extremely misleading and doing the natural hair community, especially those with 4c hair, a huge disservice.

I’ve been preaching since the day I started this natural hair blog: LEARN TO ACCEPT YOUR HAIR FOR WHAT IT IS AND FOR WHAT IT CAN AND CANNOT DO! How can anyone accept their natural hair when there are wolves in sheep’s clothing conning them with snake oil? There is no magic product or oil that will magically turn your 4c hair into 4a or 3b hair with loose bouncy curls!

educate yourself so you can accept your hair type

In order to accept your natural hair, whatever type you may have, you must educate yourself. Find out your hair type and characteristics. Do research on your hair type. Use Google. Talk to natural hair professionals if you can. Start with your natural haired friends and family if you have any. Talk to them. Ask them about their hair care routines. What products do they use? Find people with hair that looks like yours on YouTube, Pinterest, and follow them. Let them inspire you. The same way you researched and learned about your hair type, you must do the same when it comes to products. Research what hair moisturizers work best for your hair. Research what natural oils work best for your hair type.

Find what works for you and be patient

After doing those things, take all the information you’ve gathered and sift through them. Try some of the suggestions and see what your hair likes and doesn’t like, and tweak it to fit your needs. Because no two heads of hair are alike, Brenda’s hair care routine may not work for you the same as it works for her. Find what works for you and go with that. But know that the further you get in your natural hair journey, you will find that you may have to tweak things for your hair several times, and that is completely normal.

Above all else, be patient. It’s a process, and it’s important that you develop a relationship with your natural hair. Learn to love your hair – the good and the bad that comes with it. Embrace your hair. Once you do that, there won’t be any room left for anyone to con you into believing that you should follow them or waste money on products that won’t work on your hair.

FINALLY! A Hair Moisturizer That Works!

I’ve struggled with finding a good hair moisturizer… until now. TGIN’s Butter Cream Daily Moisturizer with Shea Butter and Vitamin E is the bomb dot com. Here’s why.

• It’s thick and creamy. Something my thick 4c hair needs.
• It’s not greasy.
• A little goes a long way.

I bought the above 12 oz jar in January of this year and with three heads of natural hair using it, I still have plenty left. Now that we’re in full blown summer with 90+ degree temps and extremely high humidity, my hair is still soft and retaining it’s moisture. It’s not often I can say that my coarse, 4c hair is soft! But this cream right here is doing the dag gone thang!

There are those who complain that this cream flakes. Well that will happen if you’re using it with too many other products like gel, curling cremes (that have gel in them), or leave in conditioners. For the best results, I would not recommend using this cream with gel or curling cremes. If you do you will get flaking. Also, even though it says it can be used daily, I encourage you to use at your discretion and remember that a little truly does go a long way. I would say use as needed. If your tresses start to look or feel thirsty (dry), then yes apply more.

As far as price goes, this was $14.98 on Amazon. For me the price is worth it because it works and it goes a long way. Of course if it didn’t work I’d be quite pissed about the price! But, I’ve always been one who is willing to pay for quality, and to me this moisturizer is quality. I give this product two thumbs up! Have you tried this moisturizer? What are your thoughts? Chime in!

Newborn And Infant Hair Care

My oldest daughter Taylor at three months of age. 

There’s nothing more natural than the hair of a newborn baby. Most, but not all, African American babies are born with a head full of hair. New mothers, including myself, are often full of questions when it comes to caring for the hair of a newborn baby. For African American mothers, the questions are usually How often should I wash their hair? What should I put in their hair after washing it? Do I put oil in their hair, and if so what do I use? Thankfully I was blessed to have my mother (who raised six kids) to help me through it all.

But what if you’re a white mother or father who adopted an African American baby? Not knowing what to do or where to begin with your child’s hair can be overwhelming, and I’m here to help. Now let me be clear (*disclaimer*), as a mother of four children, I’m speaking from my own experience as an African American woman and from what I know to be true or common when it comes to African American hair. Your experiences may not be the same as mine, so please feel free to make adjustments as you see fit.

Hair Textures & When to Wash

No two heads of hair are alike, and this is especially true for African American hair. That is why it is vital that you learn about the different hair textures that we have so you’ll know how to care for your babies hair. At birth your baby may have fine, soft, straight, or curly hair. However, around four or five months, your baby’s hair will go through “the change” where that fine baby hair changes into thick, coarse, soft or curly or wavy hair. Or it can be a combination of any of those textures. Because of our textured hair, it tends to be drier and can easily break off. So it is a must that you handle your babies hair with gentle care

While it is very common for other cultures to wash their hair once a day to remove excess oil from their hair, African American hair needs those natural oils. Frequently washing African American hair strips it of its natural oils and can leave our hair dry, brittle, and frizzy. When it comes to your baby, washing their hair once a week with a mild baby shampoo is perfectly fine. Because they have such sensitive scalps and a soft spot on their head, you should not wash their hair every day. Unless of course they have some kind of medical condition and are under doctors orders. Also, when washing your babies hair, there is no need to work up a lather when using shampoo. Just gently distribute the shampoo through their hair enough to clean it and rinse with lukewarm water.

After their hair is washed, add a small amount of baby oil to their hair and gently massage it in. Then you can comb it with a wide tooth comb (the teeth in baby combs are too small and tend to snag in curly, textured hair and can be painful to the baby) or brush with a fine bristled baby brush. Other oils that are mild and safe to use on your babies hair are extra virgin olive oil, jojoba oil, or organic coconut oil.

Texture Change 

As mentioned earlier, you may notice around four or five months that your babies hair texture is changing. Their hair may become thicker and longer with tighter coils or curls, which will require more care and attention. It is important to keep their hair detangled and moisturized as it will become even more prone to dryness. Continue to use a mild baby shampoo, but this is also a good time to use a mild conditioner as well. It is also a good time to use cream based products to keep their hair moisturized. Oil alone will not moisturize their hair. See the link at the end of the blog for suggestions of products to use on your baby’s hair after the texture change.

How to Detangle

Once your babies hair texture has changed, it is best to detangle your babies hair after it’s been washed or when it’s slightly damp. NEVER comb or detangle your babies hair while it’s dry. You will encounter a lot of tangles and knots that can snag in the comb. Again, this will hurt your babies sensitive scalp. To detangle, start at the ends and gently work your way up. If you notice knots or tangles, try to detangle with your fingers first with a little oil on our fingers. If it’s not time to wash their hair, you can take a wet washcloth (a soft one) and ring out the extra water and gently rub it over your babies hair just to dampen it. Then add a little oil (jojoba, coconut, or baby oil) and gently massage it through their hair and proceed to combing and detangling.

 

                                    My daughters Taylor, age 2 and Talya, age 5 months wearing ponytails and curly afros.

Styling

Nothing makes new mothers happier than to be able to put pretty bows, headbands, and barrettes in their little girl’s hair, especially when they have enough hair to put into ponytails, plaits or braids. For some babies, it is a necessity to style their hair to cut back on tangles and the matting of the hair. This is especially true with African American babies. Depending on the length, a few ponytails with cloth rubber bands should suffice. If you have to force your babies hair into a ponytail with a lot of pulling, don’t do it. Leave their hair alone. Try to stay away from styles that require a lot of pulling of the hair, and avoid tight ponytails and braids. Two of my children were born with a ton of hair, and it only got longer and longer as they got older, so I had no choice but to put their hair in ponytails, plaits or braids to keep it from tangling or matting.

As time goes on, you will develop a hair care routine for your baby, and you will learn what works and what doesn’t for their hair. It’s nice to have a guide of what to expect as you experience your babies hair changes and growth. Did you find this information helpful? Did I miss anything? Please leave a comment and let me know!

For additional information on what products to use on your babies hair – African American or bi-racial, check out this website:

https://www.mom365.com/baby/baby-care/dry-hair-solutions-for-baby

 

Mango Butter Hair and Body Moisturizer With Castor oil, Lemongrass and Sweet Orange Essential Oils

I’ve kind of kicked Shea Butter to the curb in favor of Mango Butter about two years ago. Raw, unrefined mango butter is divine for your skin and hair. It’s packed full of vitamins A, C, and E, as well as the fatty acids oleic and stearic, which act as emollients that soften and soothe the skin and hair.

Over the weekend I decided to make a batch of mango hair and body moisturizing butter with organic castor oil (natural antibacterial and anti-fungal properties and is high in Vitamin E, minerals, proteins, and Omega 6 and 9 beneficial fatty acids. Its unusually high ricinoleic acid ratio makes it beneficial to skin and hair),

apricot seed oil (contains vitamins A and E which support skin health and repair. It is a great home remedy for dry scalp, psoriasis, dandruff, and eczema. Restores moisture to dry or flaky scalp or dull and dry hair),

vitamin E oil (combats wrinkles, promotes hair growth, shine, prevents hair loss),

and lemon grass (full of vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, folate and vitamin C. It also provides essential minerals such as magnesium, phosphorous, manganese, copper, potassium, calcium, zinc and iron. Adds shine to hair, fights dandruff, tones skin, great for fighting blackheads)

and sweet orange (antiseptic and anti-inflammatory which makes this oil an ideal addition to your skin and hair routine. Known to increase the ability to absorb vitamin C, collagen production, and blood flow, all of which are essential for anti-aging) essential oils.

Disclaimer: I don’t measure when making my concoctions, so please don’t be angry with me! I make big batches because I have a family of six and we all use this mango butter mixture regularly, so it’s just me measuring with my eyes, and that’s it. *It is important to use carrier oils with lemongrass essential oil (such as sweet almond oil, apricot, jojoba, coconut oil, olive oil, rosehip or argan oils)  otherwise it can burn or irritate your skin if not properly diluted. Always test essential oils on your skin first before using.* Below is what I did:

Ingredients: 

1 lb of raw, unrefined mango butter

Organic castor oil

Organic apricot oil

4 vitamin E capsules

Lemon Grass essential oil

Sweet Orange essential oil

Tools: 

Large cooking pot

Water

Microwave safe bowl (medium size)

Rubber spatula

Spoon

Hand mixer

Air tight container(s) to store your butter (I used two containers)

Directions: 

Fill up your pot with water and bring to boil on the stove. In your medium size microwave safe bowl, add your mango butter and put it in the hot water. Take the pot off of the stove and allow the butter to melt slowly. You don’t want to cook all the vitamins and nutrients out of the mango butter with high heat. When needed, reheat the water in the pot (without the mango butter in it) to continue the melting process.

Once the mango butter is melted, take it out of the water and add about 1/2 cup of castor oil,  1/3 cup of apricot oil, 20 drops of lemongrass and 20 drops of sweet orange essential oils. Add your vitamin E oil. I only had capsules, but if you have vitamin E oil in a bottle, that’s much easier! (*You don’t have to use 20 drops of lemongrass or sweet orange oils. I used that amount because I wanted my mango butter to have that citrusy scent.)

Place your bowl in the freezer for about 15 minutes or until the oils solidify, but don’t let it get too cold or freeze. You need it to be soft enough to mix.

Take your hand mixer and on medium-high speed, mix the oils until it becomes light and fluffy like a meringue or whipped cream. Once that’s accomplished, take your rubber spatula and transfer the butter to your airtight container(s) and you’re done.

The way this butter melts and absorbs into your skin upon contact is amazing! I especially love to use it after a shower. Your skin is left feeling very moisturized and soft with no greasy feel. It absorbs so well! As for the hair, it definitely makes my 4C hair feel softer.

All of these ingredients can be purchased on Amazon or at your nearest health store such as Whole Foods or Trader Joes.

Happy DIY-ing!

 

When The Creamy Crack Lures You Back

Hair is such a personal and emotional thing for women. We can wake up one morning and decide to cut it all off, dye it, wear a wig, get a sew in, or have it braided. It’s no different when it comes to having natural hair or having it chemically straightened with relaxers.

When I first started on my natural hair journey, I was like a sponge. I reached out to fellow naturalista’s and asked questions about their journey, what natural products did they use on their hair, etc. I was so excited and eager! Then I talked to those who were once natural but went back to the creamy crack, and it broke my heart. I couldn’t understand how that could happen because being natural is healthier, it’s liberating, it’s part of our culture. It’s the best thing ever…right? Well, that’s how I felt, and still feel. Fast forward a few years and I’ve come to realize, and respect, that not everyone falls in love with their natural hair. Natural hair is truly a struggle for some women.

For some, natural hair isn’t convenient because of the time it takes to care for and style it. It can also be expensive because of the plethora of products available in stores and on line for you to try, which can easily turn you into a product junkie. Others get disappointed when they can’t achieve the curly hair that they see promoted in advertising. I’ve also heard many times “My hair doesn’t act right natural.” There can be so many reasons why their hair doesn’t act right such as not having a healthy diet, not having a consistent hair care routine, or using products containing harsh chemicals. Maybe they aren’t keeping their hair properly moisturized. Whatever the reason, it’s making some women give up on their natural hair and go back to the creamy crack.

Hair relaxers were coined ‘creamy crack’ for a reason. It’s lure is powerful, and all it takes is one experience to become addicted. It offers convenience and versatility. You can apply it yourself or go to the beauty shop. It’s readily available, and it’s cheap – just like crack cocaine. The “high” that creamy crack offers lasts 3 – 4 weeks, sometimes longer depending on how you feel about having nappy roots (aka new growth). As with most drugs, the side effects of hair relaxers are awful: Scalp burns that often cause hair loss or permanent hair loss, breakage, and exposure to chemicals and toxins that get absorbed through our scalp and into our bodies that can cause a myriad of health issues. Despite the many cons of using hair relaxers, it’s still addictive and you come to depend on it, just like crack cocaine. I have firsthand knowledge since I was a hair relaxer addict for over 24 years.

In the end, I can understand why some do go back to the creamy crack. I have several friends who have big chopped many times, gone back to the creamy crack several times, all for various reasons. At the end of the day, we all have to do what is best for ourselves. But, knowing what I know now about chemical relaxers, and having watched Chris Rock’s documentary Good Hair, there’s no way I’ll go back to creamy crack. We’ve broken up for good.