Natural Hair Revitalization: KeraCare Overnight Moisturizing Treatment

I had quite a few loose natural hair clients that swore by this product regardless of their hair texture. Since my Sisterlocks are getting so long, I don't think my super coily hair is staying hydrated on the ends. In addition, I have used some clarifying shampoos that may have dehydrated the ends without me adequately restoring the moisture back in.

In one of my previous articles, I extended my front locs with my own hair. However, I really don't want my hair dry and brittle anyway which is what causes breakage.

So, at night, I started using a quarter size amount emulsified into my hands and massaged through my whole head of locs focusing on the ends. Amazing hydration in the morning without added weight.

Whether locked natural or loose natural, the KeraCare Overnight Moisturizing Treatment is still a winner!

What is a Natural Hairstylist in 2016?

The first question that I usually get from a new potential client is "DO You do natural hair?"

Like many hairstylists, I don't know how to answer this question.  I can offer color, smoothing treatments, sew-in, crochet braids, and individual twist styling. However, I am not a barber; so the small and big top loose naturals may need to seek a barber for haircuts.

I would prefer for people to ask for a specific hair service versus walking into the salon with a short, natural fro and expecting me to have a vision as to which direction to take them. Most don't want a relaxer, and they don't want locs.  However, protective styling (i.e. covering it up) seems to be top choice.

I am a locked natural wearer, but my locs keep my hair consistently under control.  I can use a wig for a loose hair look. I do maintain my own locked natural hair, but the majority of my clients are relaxed. 

Flat irons gave relaxers a bad wrap.  Relaxers have been around since the pressing comb timeframe.  The flat irons are the "new kids on the block."  The flat iron damage propelled this natural hair movement.  As long as the flat irons continue to be required for smoothing treatments and the preferred tool for straightening, the relaxer-free movement will continue.

Due to my aging, I decided to abandon relaxers as a personal healthy choice.  My decision to loc was also the best decision for me, but from what I know now, I would not encourage locking for everyone. Everyone's hair will not loc the same way.  I am four years ahead in my loc process so many who have begun to fall in love with my locs want the immediate long look versus the journey.

Luckily, micro faux locs can be crocheted for a practice loc run.  Now, back to the original question:

What is a Natural Hairstylist in 2016? What's your answers?  Feel free to leave your feedback.

Hair Texture Hierarchy: Surviving Discrimination

(And yes, I still have some gray hair.)

I knew that it was a matter of time that the hair texture hierarchy and/or discrimination would begin.  It was inevitable. Relaxers evened the playing field for most Black women.  Yet, with this natural hair movement, reality checks are getting cashed everywhere.  

Most Black women have some "European" influence in their hair texture, but for those like me, we are "African Royale."  My texture is excellent for locs.  Many Black women with more European mixed hair want locs that look like mine, but I realize my loc-print is unique to me  because of my coarse, resistant hair.

Now, for those whose reality check is that their hair is more of a type 4 (coil) than a type 3 (curl) - there are plenty of products to assist with control or many will weave or crochet it up.  It is all good.

People should not loc their hair until they are ready.  If that day never comes, then that is good too.

There was an article at curlyincollege.com that alerted me that some people were feeling like they fell lower in the hair hierarchy because their hair was not "exotic" enough.

Thank God for my "exotic skin" because my hair is simply royal like a "Cleopatra."  My curls are generated from a wet set. My edges are never smooth unless they are twisted or tightened.

I am content that locs were the best solution for my hairtype.  Black women have to accept their reality and plan accordingly in order to survive the natural hair discrimination practices.

I believe that hair and skin are natural discriminatory factors in the Dominican Republic surrounding Haitian inhabitants.  I have read that DR side of the island identifies with more Spanish influence than the Haitian side.  I believe that the DR wants to keep the blood lines separated.  One is  welcome to research more on this top as the international situations are subject to change.

Real Hair, Real Talk: The Real You!

All hair pictured are my actual clients.  Real Hair by Benita Blocker.

You can have your hair your way!

Hair falls into Four categories: 

• Faux Natural (Relaxed)
• Loose Natural
• Locked Natural
• Relaxed

Faux Natural:  My faux natural clients have relaxed hair, but they wet set in flat twists, perm rods, etc to give the illusion of natural hair.

Loose Natural: Everyone is born with Loose Natural hair.

Locked Natural:  Sisterlocked, Interlocked, Traditional locs, etc.  The loc nation is a part of my own personal hair journey.

Relaxed hair:  If it works for you, then no use in fixing anything that is not broken.

The Aging Process:  Gray hair can be resistant to coloring and taming in order to keep it straight.  As my clients are aging, some are becoming double processed.  Haircolor plus relaxer touch-ups can make the hair temperamental and vulnerable to breakage. As clients are entering the age 40+  category, they need to prepare themselves for a potential new set of hair rules.

The Three Universal Hair Categories and 2016 Trend Analysis

There are three ways to describe hair universally:

• Loose natural
• Locked natural
• Permed (Permanently relaxed or Permanently curled)

Loose natural hair can be thermally straightened to look like a relaxer or it can be worn in its natural state.

As far as wigs go, they have become as common as lipstick in 2016.  With people changing hair length and haircolor on a daily basis, "wig shopping" has been the new "girls outing."

Blame it on the weather!  Blame on people wanting a look that they were not born with.

You can now wear any curl pattern that you desire through the use of the crochet braiding process in about two hours. Corkscrew coils?  No problem.  Romance Curls? No problem.

2016 Hair, especially "Black hair" has floored me.  I tell new customers that I actually service more hair than I do weave so that they know that my specialty is "haircare."

All the weaves.  All of the uniform sew-in's. All of the wigs. My head has been spinning lately.  I often ask myself - will the trend to wear your own hair come back any time soon?

The barbers must be seeing an increase in women with short afros. What happened to mens' demand for long hair?

More and more people have found hair partners, and they maintain each other's hair at home.  YouTube tutorials are cutting out the hairdressing profession.  We are going back to the time before Madame C. J. Walker started beauty salons.

Surprisingly, going to the hair salon, now means washing, conditioning, and blowdrying BEFORE you get to the salon to get the sew-in, crochet braids, or individual braids.

Natural hair practitioners can now provide almost the same hair services as cosmetologists in North Carolina.  Cosmetologists are also licensed for esthetics and nails as backup plans.

Is the hair extension/wig industry recession-proof?  Will all the protective styling mania end anytime soon?

Feel free to comment.  This article is more about you the audience than me the hair professional. Inquiring minds want to know.  Will the commercial hair demand ever peak out?