I’m sure all the ladies (and gents) who were in attendance will agree with us that the HHI team did an excellent job. Well done to the HHI team for a great event! The team consists of Destiny magazine writer, Carice Anderson and 4 South African hair bloggers, Wisaal of Wiscellaneous, Kavuli of GoodHairDiaries, Aisha of MyFroAndI and  Tendayi of AfricanHairBlog.

The event was held at the Motions Hair Academy in Johannesburg CBD and the venue was just too dope. It’s a pity we didn’t manage to take a pic of the venue itself as we arrived a little late but trust us when we say it was a stunning place.

The afternoon was filled with lots of fun, information and laughter. Each lady took us through their hair journey and they also discussed a few hair myths which was quite informative. We were also treated to live style demos and the audience could ask questions in between. And of course they served yummy finger foods and refreshments!

Here are a few pics from the event

Once again, well done to the #HHI14 team for a great and successful event!

Origins and current location?

Originally from Pretoria, in a small township called Mamelodi, where most of my conceptions and definitions of beauty are rooted. Currently reside in the Northern Suburbs of Johannesburg where all those conceptions and definitions got, uhm, well let’s just say… refined!

What are you currently up to?

I am a Digital PR account executive, and a freelance Journalist.

How long have you been natural? Briefly take us through your natural hair journey.

My nappy coils are officially a year old! And I think I have a crush on my hair, I can’t get enough of it. But this wasn’t always the case, not to say I hated my relaxed hair, but other people liked it more than what I personally did. So I kept my relaxed for years because it pleased other people for my hair to be like that; I fit it; I was “normal”; accepted. But my hair got to a point where it became extremely brittle and frail but I still hung on it for dear life, hoping it would go back to normal cause I could not bear the thought of losing my long straight locks. Eventually the damage was too much and it had to go.

Besides all the damage I got from the chemicals and heat, I felt like the hair was some sort of metaphor for a much more significant way of thinking. I needed to shift my perspective of what beauty was and what self-esteem meant. It wasn’t easy; it took a lot of self-acceptance and introspection to re-define what “my kind of beauty was”. The more I strived to look “normal” just so that I could fit in…I slowly lost Me.  As a 20-something year old trying to make a name for yourself you can’t afford to lose yourself.

Everything! I never knew my natural hair texture, can you imagine! Touching my hair feels so good to me. I feel like I am rediscovering so many different things about myself through my hair. I love how versatile it is and how beautiful it looks on me. My hair gives me an attitude that I carry out in all aspects of my life. It might sound like I’m giving my hair too much credit, but it deserves it.

And what  do you dislike about your natural hair?

People’s perceptions about it.

The biggest challenge was dealing with my TWA. I say dealing because I literally had to sit and convince myself that I am still feminine and beautiful with very short hair. That means I had to break walls that I had allowed to firmly stand tall in my head. I had to accept my own face; I felt vulnerable.  But then again having my short hair meant I had a few more minutes in bed in the morning

I keep my hair well moisturised and conditioned and I don’t mind the few minutes I spend twisting my hair every night to keep it protected. I wash my hair once a week and co-wash my hair at least 2 times a week. I try to keep my hair in protective styles most of the time to avoid any breakage or damage. Even if that means I have rock my doek for a good week, I will wear it with pride!

Most of the products that I use I got introduced to by a good friend ( thank goodness for that) and are available from most retail stores. I use Olive Miracle Growth Oil from African Pride and I use a lot of Organic Root Stimulator products like their Hair Mayonnaise, Holding pudding, olive oil and tea tree oil. I also use Shwartzkopf’s Gliss shampoo and conditioner range.

Quality ingredients. I expect to have real natural ingredients that will keep my hair strong, nourished and protected.

I am always on the search for better quality, but at the moment my hair is strong and healthy. I have used products that were very damaging in the past though…

No, I like the versatility of my hair and I like having the variety of hairstyles I can try out with this texture.

Keep your hair moisturised, try to cover your hair at night and also read the back of that product you are about to purchase!

You can follow Mpumie on Instagram: @melissamagagula

It is with absolute excitement and nerves that I write this to you. Firstly I’d like to welcome you to this exciting journey and to the natural hair community. Welcome to an exciting, yet overwhelming world of pre-poos, oil treatments, deep conditioning, stretching, protein boosting, shrinkage, leave-ins and a whole lot of….

Growing healthy natural hair is no walk in the park…but it’s one of most rewarding journeys filled with a whole lot of mistakes and discoveries.

Right, so you cut off your relaxed hair, thought “Now what?”, then started natural hair blog/ YouTube channel-hopping with hopes of learning how to grow & take care of your hair.  Then you found yourself drowning in a whole lot of info and somewhat logged off hoping that with all those products and techniques you saw on there, you’re sure to crack this thing! Your then rushed to the shops to buy all those products you read about online….then POP went your balloon when you discovered almost all those products weren’t available in our South African stores.

REALITY CHECK:

• I hate to break this to you but that hair you saw on YouTube…there’s a high chance that it’s not even the same texture as yours. Unless you’re a type 3 (loose curls), get the Tracie Ellis hair image out of your head.
• Some of the people in your life will HATE your hair, your man might turn out to be one of them . This is where you have to put your self-confidence panties on and walk with your head high. Hey, there’ ll also be a bunch that go ga-ga over your naps, so you’re alright.
• You will have bad hair days – some days you’ll go to bed with a twist out still in tact and wake up with a head full of matted chunks of hair. That’s alright though, once you get to know your hair, you’ll come up with your own damage-control methods.
• Your hair will shrink – like…one day you’ll be on some Pearl Thusi tip and back at a Lira length two days later!
• Your hair will get dry & groff – this is when you need to play around with moisturizing methods that work for YOU.
• Your hair will shed, that’s normal but please don’t confuse this with breakage.
• You may struggle to find products that work for YOUR hair type which will subsequently turn you into a PJ (product junkie); but that’s ok…that’s how we all learn.
• DO NOT set yourself some unrealistic goals; your hair wont grow at the same pace as the next natural.
• DO NOT force your hair to look like that of Pearl Thusi or Corine Bailey Rae while you know for a fact that you have a Lira texture. Avoid depression at all costs.
• Get the basics right – pre-poo, wash, deep condition, apply a butter/cream that works for you & seal with an oil of your choice
• Don’t drive yourself crazy with frequent length checks
• Every now and then you’ll have your hair braided, plaited or weaved – whatever you do, please take care of your hairline. Once it’s gone, it’s not easy to restore.
• You will need stacks of patience and confidence.
• For a while you will look very strange to other shoppers each time you spend a good 5-minutes going through the list of ingredients by the hair product isles.

My intention is not to scare you off but to curb those false expectations.

COMMONLY-USED TERMINOLOGY TO HELP YOU blend in:

• BC – Big Chop
• Deep Conditioning – I’m pretty sure you’ve met tons of hairstylists who’ve made you pay that extra R100 for “treatment”. Make that a thing of the past as you can do that yourself. This is what naturals call deep conditioning. there’s a number of deep conditioners out there you can play around with eg ORS Replenishing Pak Deep Conditioner and Dr Miracle’s Deep Conditioner. You can even spruce them up by adding an egg or a few spoons of olive oil to give your hair that extra va-va-what va-va-who.
• Detangling – self explanatory…the method of unravelling the knots at the tips of your hair either by comb, finger, needle etc
• LOC/LCO method – Info here
• Pre-poo – applying oil (eg coconut, olive etc) to your hair in preparation for shampooing. Some people will leave the oil on the hair overnight with head covered in a shower cap/cling wrap/plastic bag before putting on a doek (head scarf). Others will only keep the oil for a few hours before a wash. This helps in softening your hair and protects it from dryness after shampooing. …..
• Protective styling – any hairstyle that assists in protecting the tips from breaking eg, twists, braids, tucks etc
• Shrinkage – self-explanatory. This is when your hair shrinks after a few days of a good stretched length.
• Stretching – A look of naturals prefer a stretched look. Some go to bed with hair braided and then take down the braids/plaits in the mornings
• TWA – Teeny Weeny Afro (I call it the Lira length)
• Bantu Knots/ Amagoda – you get the idea. this is also a brilliant hairstyle that can give a dry-curl look when undone (Bantu Knot outs).
• Twists (with own hair) – another protective hairstyle
• Twist-out – the above unravelled into nice curls

MUST-HAVES:

• Silk Doek/ Satin cap (those silky granny doeks work just as good) for bedtime – keep the moisture locked in.
• A few natural oils (Coconut, Castor, Rosemary, Olive etc)
• Glycerine – serves as a humectant for those who live in dry areas such as Jo’burg
• Water – for daily moisture
• Cream/Butter – eg Shea butter or a any moisturizing cream of your choice
• Leave-in conditioner of your choice – these are a God-sent
• Conditioners – You’ll need two types, protein boosters such as ORS Hair Mayonnaise and moisture-infusing ones (my current favourite is Tressemme Naturals, Dr Miracle’s as well as the ORS)
• Sulphate-free shampoo - doesn’t dry your hair out (strip the natural oils off your hair) like “normal” shampoos do. My current favorite is the Dr Miracle’s Sulphate & Paraben-free shampoo and the Clicks kiddies one, but there’s quite a few out there.
• Spritzer bottle for your concoctions
• Wide-toothed comb for less breakage while combing
• Alcohol-free gel for those edges. Not necessary
• Hair accessories – for those days you ‘re feeling less creative

I wish you all the best in your journey. Remember to use FroChic as your platform to share milestones, vent, get advise from our very knowledgeable readers (Lord knows how blessed we are to have such readers). We’re only an email away (frochic[at]gmail[dot]com

This is how my locs look like 2 years on…

Excuse the untidy eyebrows…lol

I am still very happy with my locs…actually I love them! I’ve also come a long way with them; if you want to see where I started of, click here.  I must say I am no longer as impatient as I was a year ago about length. I think for me now the aim is to have healthy locs and I believe the length will follow if you take good care of them.

My regimen is pretty much the same and I try not to spend too much time on them…My regimen is as follows

• I shampoo and condition once every 2 weeks. I use Tresemme shampoo and conditioner.
• I moisturise my locs with natural oils like coconut oil and I love Nubian Nature’s hair elixir. I’ve also recently started retwisting my locs with the oils. I hate beeswax for my locs. It sticks to my locs and its difficult to get out.
• I retwist my locs after every wash, so that would be every 2 weeks. As you’ve noticed my roots still have a bit of growth and I dont mind it; I actually prefer it that way. 2 years into my journey I still also prefer thick locs.
• I do an apple cider vinegar rinse once a month. This really helps in removing any product build up on my locs.

And that’s pretty much it…

Here is to another year with locs!:-D

When Kenyah was born, I made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t a. Relax her hair b. pierce her ears c. put hair extensions on her hair… until she gave me good reason to.  The relaxer part was not negotiable though; she had to turn 13 first before even considering it; hopefully by then she’d be too happily nappy to even care.

Four years later, lady goes to crèche;  starts making friends of a few races then in came peer pressure!! Last year she asked for “earrings”…what she meant was studs. When I asked her why, her answer was straight up “Because you also wear them and look like a lady” ((BOOM))…okay. Guess mama got to lead by example huh. There was a absolutely no way I was gonna ditch my jewelry. Even after mommy and daddy finished giving her the you’re-beautiful-just-as-you-are talk, little lady still insisted on getting the studs because all her friends wore some. So off we went to the pharmacy to have her little ears pierced and on that day she had her first studs! It was until after the wedding that she grew tired of them.

As for the braid extensions, her reason was pretty much similar to the “earrings” one – mama got braids sometimes also, not to mention a few friends at creche. I’ve been very hesitant on this one for almost a year but eventually gave in and decided to let her get the chunky ones (aka da Brats). So last week I took her to Ntombi and asked her to make them as loose and thick as she possibly could. An hour later she was done. I like that they aren’t tight, therefore not posing any harm to her scalp and hairline as a result. Why I’m hoping she outgrows them like she did earrings – she’s now making all these Caucasian girl ag-my-hare(s) and seems to be REALLY feeling herself…that bothers me…a lot.

On the flip side, she now wants to BC following mommy’s recent chop! That’s not happening, sorry.

It actually took the below picture from a recent shoot to see what a bad shape my hair was in.

The hair on the nape and crown looked (and is) too short; as for the weak tips I shall not even say a thing – I seriously need to have these patches of my scalp checked by a professional soon, before it becomes too late.

So close to a month ago, I walked into a hair salon and ordered Ntombi to go crazy. Being the scissor happy stylist she is, she didn’t even ask questions and got right into it.

I love how healthy my hair looks now, I’ve even realized I had curls the other day when I was conditioning!! I’m planning to keep this TWA for a year or so until I figure out what really works for my hair (moisture retention, shedding, breaking, styling etc). I mean 6 years post-locs and a couple of BCs of my “Afro” I still don’t know how to make my twist out last longer *shrugs*.

Last week I decided to DIY colour (Inecto colour Plum) & went back for more cutting on the sides. I’ve now been given orders to never come back unless I want no hair at all on the sides.lol

Some of the stuff I’m looking forward to:

I plan to colour and have fun with it throughout the year.

I also want to try that Chrisette Michelle side part sometime.

Swimming should also be easier as I’ll be able to wash my hair any day after swimming.

MAYBE next year I might decide to grow it again….or maybe go the Lira route and keep it short until I get tired of the look!!

Love,
Me on top of the world!!

Awareness on natural hair care has grown exponentially in the past 2+years in our country; I’m not complaining though. I finally can relate to ladies with the same struggles that I’m facing & get solid advice; I’ve even achieved more length! I’m especially enjoying the awareness for the need of hair care products targeted specifically for NATURAL hair for black women and as a result I found some great naturalistas & online stores that you can shop from. I decided to share with you ladies as the shelf’s of Clicks, Dischem, Checkers, Shoprite & the likes don’t always stock what we need…happy shopping ladies.

*These are safe & trusted sites/sellers.

Naturalista stores:

These naturalisas make that good kitchen concoctions of stuff we love like shea butter etc

Fanta: AuCurlsNaturelle

Fatsani: mixtress in the kitchen (facebook page)

Ruth: http://natmoisture.co.za/

Mummy & Shereen: http://www.nubiannature.co.za/

Afroqueen (facebook): www.afrozotic.co.za (COMING SOON)

 International brand distributors:

These are the products we’ve all been dying to try…a tad pricey though.

 www.thekinkshair.com (stocks: Curls, Shea moisture, Miss Jessie’s, Hairveda)

http://gowiththefro.co.za (stocks: Shea moisture)

www.faithfultonature.co.za (stocks: Curls, Earthsap)

International brand distributors:

These are a bit cheaper & supply products that we initially thought were for white people’s Caucasian hair

http://www.lush.co.za/shop/product/category/path/147/hair

- I am yet to try lush but the stuff they have sounds good & the ingredients are on point!! & one of the sisters from mynaturalsistas swears by lush.

http://www.style36.co.za/women/beauty/hair-care/

-Finally ORS curls unleashed is easily accessible & satin bonnets

http://www.everythinghair.co.za/

-Stocks: joico (very popular in the international natural hair world) mizani,nisim,pureology,tangle teezer etc

http://www.retailbox.co.za/

stocks:Moroccan oil,nism,tangle teezer & a lot more.)

Happy Shopping!

1) CLEANSE & CONDITION

Start  with a good conditioning shampoo that is sulphate and paraben free such as Dr. Miracle’s Conditioning Shampoo (R74.99). Blended with olive and jojoba oils, it’s specifically formulated to cleanse hair and maintain moisture levels for strong, shiny and healthy hair.

Continue the moisture boost for added strength and shine by making use of a 15 to 30 minute deep conditioning treatment like the Dr. Miracle’s Deep Conditioner (R74.99), a “moisture smoothie” that prevents hair breakage and dry scalp with its combination of nutrient-rich ingredients like jojoba oil, vitamin A and E.

2) STYLE PERFECTION

Protect your tresses from heat damage with _Dr. Miracle’s Acai Thermal Protection Styler (R69.99) by applying a small amount on damp hair before using any heat styling aid.

If you’re aiming for a short and edgy hairstyle, use the new _Dr Miracle’s Edge Holding Gel (R54.99); a super hold gel that’s formulated with Jojoba oil. Simply apply around the hairline and smooth with a comb or your fingertips. Short to long-length tresses can be beautifully styled with Dr. Miracle’s Healing Oil Sheen Spray (R59.99). Lightly spray over your entire head using a sweeping motion for a healthy shine.

3) RESTORE AND REPAIR

If your hair is dry and damaged, invest in a mega-moisturising protein-rich repair product such as the _Dr. Miracle’s Conditioning Treatment Pack (R49.99), a three-in-one mini “hair miracle” solution that revitalizes dry and damaged hair. The treatment pack consists of the most popular Dr. Miracle’s products: the Deep Conditioning Treatment, Leave-In Treatment & Conditioner and Anti-Breakage Strengthening Crème; to address all conditioning needs and restore your hair back to health.

Enjoy summer without the stress of unmanageable hair by taking charge of your lifestyle. Get out to exercise, follow a healthy diet and drink plenty of water to moisturize from within. Keep your hair in tip-top condition by using the Dr. Miracle’s range of hair care products that lock in the essential oils and moisturizers that your hair needs to be and look beautifully healthy.

Well, I’ve also only recently came across her on Instagram and I have never seen anyone with such LONG loc’s as hers! Wow! Her locs are beautiful, long, dark and lush – just perfect. Since following her on Instagram I’ve learned that she has been growing her locs since she was a toddler and has never cut them, except for a trim every now and then. From her pictures it looks like they come to her knees.

Check out her pics below and be wowed!

 Source

 Source

 Source

Source

Now hot are those locs?!! She has definitely become my hair crush

You can find Nerissa on the following platforms:

Instagram: @nerissanefeteri

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/MsNerissaIrving

Website: http://nerissairving.com

Happy New Year fellow FroChics!! We hope your holidays were as awesome as ours were. We wish you all the best 2014 can offer.

Here’s to another year of natural hair growth, beauty, strength, styling and most importantly health. We can definitely hear and see snipping scissor sounds & some colour in the near future on our side.

What did you and your hair get up to these holidays?

Any new years resolutions for your hair?