Want thicker hair? Check out these Don'ts!

2019 Picture Update

I am constantly being asked about making hair thicker.  In previous articles that I posted on this blog, I mentioned consuming Matcha Green Tea for nutritional value as well as allowing the scalp, a living organ, to breathe.

So how about the Don'ts that I feel may be causing some thinning:

• The Ponytail
• The Crochet Braiding Hair
• The Protective Styling (Wigs and Weaves)

The Ponytail

So you have formed that perfect Ponytail that has been preserved for a week or more -  Then when I finally undo that ponytail holder, sometimes an odor permeates with the ponytail release.  This means the ponytail looked cute, but your scalp could not breathe.  Therefore long term suffocating the scalp is going to cause thinning.  Loose ponytails or Loose updos may not look polished, but they are healthier.


The Crochet Braiding Hair

I love the Crochet Braiding services, but most of the hair is not human and does not allow a lot of air to get through to the scalp.  It can be very hot. Less hair installed is better than a thick head of hair.  8inch human crochet hair is now available for those allergic to the other blends out there.  Consider mohawk and short styles.


Protective Styling
Wigs or Weaves, if you can not get to your scalp, then air may not be able to get to it.  This restriction can cause thinning.  So rethink your breathability versus the style.  Maybe consider more special occasion wig/weave wearing.

Self Commitment to Finding your Best you!

Around every corner,

 I see teeny weeny afro's.

 I see ponytails. 

 I see wash and go's. 

I see braid extensions.

 I see wigs. 

On the Internet, I see women with natural hair underneath wigs with all of their hairline balding from the wig adhesive.

This is craziness.

I have no idea what the single men are thinking about all this natural hair.  As for the married men, we all know it is cheaper to keep her.

I only have one thing to say to women- 

find your best you. 

It may be years of trial and error but find your best you! You owe it to yourself. If you have not changed anything within the last ten years about your hair, you need to ask for a plan to make a change.  Haircolor? Haircut? Crochet Braids?  Relaxer?

Keep in mind your lifestyle and the upkeep required.  Do not make an impulse decision.  You should consider at least two different hair directions and plan for the BEST one.

Beyonce's Lemonade and Becky's Good Hair!

Beyonce released a 60 minute video project called "Lemonade."  

Within the first 16 minutes, she 

• destroyed about 20 car windows with a baseball bat,  
• big wheeled over another 20 cars, 
• told the hubby if he gets caught again, then he is going to lose his wife,
•  and finally, she put 

"Becky with the Good Hair" 

on blast!

I am not going to address her violent relief captured on video, but I do want to address 

the "Good Hair" topic.

"Good hair" should NO LONGER be associated with any particular type of hair.  For example:

 Cassis Ventura has gorgeous hair, but it is NOT "Good Hair" for the Loc Nation.

photo credit: iamlocd.tumblr.com

And those who do well with Locs usually don't have "Good Hair" for chemical or heat straightening.

So my point is this:  If you are trying to make your hair do something opposite of its natural behavior then you are going to run into challenges.

Beyonce, Oprah, Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell -  are all examples of successful, smart women who were born with hair that probably would flourish in the "Loc Nation." However, after generations of brainwashing,  we have been taught that our hair has to look a certain way to fit in, to pass, to make us blend.

The best thing that I can say is that wigs can be worn over locs.  YouTube channel "bronzegoddess01" has a video "how to get long locs under a wig." It shows loc wearers how to flatten their locs in order to wear straight, long hair wigs seamlessly.

https://youtu.be/s0ydKc6ALr4

So leave the baseball bats at home!  Figure out what "your hair" is "good for."  Locs? Relaxer? Hot tools only? Braids?  Then do you!  When you need to look differently, grab a wig!

On a separate note, talking about turning lemons into "lemonade" . . . . please sign my online petition surrounding the false imprisonment of my cousin. He needs your moral support.  NO MONEY! Just sign and share his story!  Thank you so much in advance for supporting my #exonerateMichael campaign! Link below!

https://www.change.org/p/nathan-deal-hold-widely-respected-judge-danny-craig-accountable-for-framing-michael-c-blocker?recruiter=532225508&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink

Three Reasons for the Shrinking Black HairCare industry!

Flat Irons
When the electric, ionic flat irons took over the market,  they evened the playing field.  Everyone with or without a hair license had the ability to deliver salon styling results.

Remember the conventional stoves and marcel irons?  How about the pressing comb?  Those tools required practice and skills.  Everyone could not work the conventional hot tools.  The Black hairstylist had the competitive edge on Black hairstyling prior to the flat irons.

Salon Suites
When salon suites started making salon ownership affordable, hairstylists flocked to independence, but hairstylists stopped learning from each other.  "Divide and conquer" is exactly what happened.  Then YouTube took over.  Everyone with or without a hair license began learning from each other on an international level.

The "perfect hair" movement redefined
People have always wanted "perfect hair" despite the weather and the workouts.  However, one can not control the humidity and sweat without a lot of spritz, holding spray, hairspray, gel, or some styling aids. Over the last decade, people decided against a lot of "frozen hairstyling."  They wanted softer, flowing hair that could withstand the weather and an active lifestyle so wigs, extensions, weaves, and protective styling became mainstay.

Nowadays, many salon clients shampoo and condition their hair before going to the salon.  The Black salon in 2016 has become the place for protective styling application or braiding.  Many Black hair salons in 2016 are less about hair care as well as less about hair products.  However, around hundred years ago, it is interesting that Madame C. J. Walker started her business with hair products and expanded her business into hair services.

Black hair - Freedom or Slavery?  Are we controlling our hair or being controlled by our hair? Are we becoming the "Stepford Wives" or just simply expressive? You decide.

I look forward to 2017.

The Down and Dirty Truth about Starting Locs

I recently was trying to explain "dreadlocks" to a Latina or Latin American lady.  The picture above is a long Hair Latina picture from www.thecitizenculture.com .  Women with this naturally wavy hair will only need to go into a hair salon for a  hair trim or some fashion highlights.  Some women with this type of low maintenance hair may never ever step into a hair salon.  They may experiment with hair color at home or even trim their own hair ends.  On the flip side, you would agree that some Black women have hair that is ten times curlier and 100 times more resistant to control.  So here's the task:  Explain to a Latina woman with the hair type pictured above that you . . .

1. spent 20+ hours in the salon chair getting your hair "knotted" up in the name of "Sisterlocking" only to feel the need to dramatize your cosmetic makeup application so that you will look more feminine and still realize that you may need a "wig"as a backup plan for important meetings.
2. spent $750 paying someone to "knot" your hair up who did not have a state issued hair license but was registered with Sisterlocks as certified to provide Sisterlock services.

So 20+ hours and a $750 bill and the goal is NOT to have an actual "hairstyle" when you leave out of the locking session.  Your primary goal is to keep your new "knots" from unravelling.

Well, readers, a Latina is going to be staring at you like you have "lost your mind" and when you honestly listen to yourself- you will even be second guessing your own self.

This is the raw reality of "Black hair" that some Sistahs are facing.  What if you have NO Support System to even think about beginning your "Sisterlock" journey?  What if your family is not familiar with dreadlocks?  What if your job does not employ a lot of Sistahs?   What if you want the freedom of Sisterlocks despite all the negativity around you?  

Here's how to prepare:

Weight Gain

Be cautious of weight gain.  Many times, women will use "eating food" for comfort.  After reflecting on my own Sisterlock journey, I realized that I probably gained at least an extra 15 pounds trying to cope with "starter Sisterlocks."  So I encourage women to watch out for their eating habits or any other vices that they abuse to get through the awkward starter phase of locs.

Dramatic Makeup and Wigs

Many Sisterlocks technicians are often scared that wigs will cause clients to sweat out their newly formed Sisterlocks.  So for those who have "hard to lock" hair, too much moisture from sweating, showers, etc. may find their hair unravelling after such a heavy investment in time and money to get the Sisterlocks framework put in.

At the end of the day, if your job requires a more European image, then plan to use a wig or more cosmetic makeup to compensate for the masculine look that starter locs can sometimes display.  Smart employers are not going to tell you that you were laid off because administration did not like your starter locs.  

I was laid off from my corporate workplace in under two weeks of having Sisterlocks started in my head.  Administration said that they just changed their business model- that's all.  Of course, I was one of the first employees at the workplace to get Sisterlocks so there was a lot of ignorance floating around.  Do not expect administration to understand your hair journey.  Be true to thine self.  If you need the job, then grab the wig if you feel more confident wearing a wig.  

On the flip side, there will be some Sisterlocks technicians who will not back their work if you wear a wig.  Actually, some Sisterlocks technicians will find every excuse that they can think of to not warranty their work.  You should have these discussions before the Sisterlocks are started.  If the Sisterlocks technician is very strict on rules, and you have a job that is very conservative - then this situation is a recipe for disaster.  I would find a Sisterlocks technician who you feel confident that you can partner with.  You may not have a lot of choices in your area.  This is where referrals become very important.  If you can not find a good match for Sisterlock services, I suggest waiting until you can find a loctician that will partner with you.  Locking one's whole head of hair should not be entered into lightly.

Immediate Satisfaction

I have had a lot of loc consultations with new prospective clients, and many ultimately want the five year look on day one.  They want my look, but even my locs are two years and six months old. Sisterlocks headquarters do not approve of loc extensions. I feel that people should consider micro braids extensions and then possibly start locking the roots as the braid extensions grow out.  There are no exact answers for everyone across the Board, but just know, that without a support system for your loc journey, it will be a cold, long, hard road, but only you know how to maintain focus on your prize at the end of the journey.

My loc journey has been very painful, but it has made me stronger.  If knowledge of my journey can make anyone else's journey just a little easier, then I will feel that I have done a good deed.  Wishing you the best as your begin your journey!

Michelle Obama Learns Never say Never

 Photo Credit:  People Magazine, January 27, 2014 edition, Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States turns 50 years old this month.  In the past, I have written articles on my blog about Mrs. Obama's hair based on magazine photos.  I've seen it in its healthy stages as well as its recovery stages.  In the past, FLOTUS' voice echoed that she would never wear hair extensions, wigs, nor commercial hair enhancement pieces.   So in her interview with Sandra Sobieraj Westfall, I had to laugh at FLOTUS' response to her philosophy on plastic surgery, Botox, fillers.

She states "Women should have the freedom to do whatever they need to do to feel good about themselves.  Right now, I don't imagine that I would go that route, but I've also learned to never say never."

Enough said.  Extensions, wigs, commercial hair enhancements can be a "life saver" when you want to look good for public events.  We can not control the weather so we can not control our hair.  So why not have a little "hair insurance" to make sure that we are constantly looking our best regardless of the environmental conditions around us.

So if there is anyone out there still thinking that Michelle Obama would not wear any form of commercial hair enhancement,  then we all now know that she is open to wigs, hair extensions, etc.  The pressure to look "polished" continues on.

Lock Extensions Introduction

 There are a probably three or four different methods to apply lock extensions.  For this lock client and for the sake of time, we chosed to use the 3 strand twist to plait "afro kinky" braiding hair to the last 1.5 inches of her existing locks.

The Beverly Johnson Afro braiding hair had a very rough texture.  I had to use Aloe Vera Moisturing Gel from the CVS Pharmacy to soften the braiding hair enough to get it braided around the client's locks.  I also used the AlterEgo Garlic Mask conditioner to soften the human hair lock extensions.  The conditioning treatment was rinsed out after 15 minutes and left the lock extensions very soft, but in tact.

This gel worked great for the lock extensions human hair, and it is affordable.

I was asked would I add lock extensions to my own microlocks.  I without a doubt would NOT add them to my my locks at my current stage.  I am over 14 months into my lock journey, and prayerfully past the baby locks stage. The human hair extensions are lighter in weight than synthetic fibers, but I am not going to spend the time nor money to enhance my styling options when the time to have considered it was from day one, but the Sisterlocks organization does not condone lock extensions.  (Sorry for the run-on sentence here.)

My question for the future is this - if a person's face does not support the baby locks phase and they work in a corporate office, is wearing a wig during the baby dreadlock phase better than lock extensions?  In my opinion, the wigs cause temporary traction thinning around the perimeter of the head where the wig is resting.  I would recommend the human hair lock extensions over the wig.  That's just my personal opinion. Of course, my yarn unit worked during the cold months.

Another blogger at junglebarbie.blogspot.com also started her beautiful locks with lock extensions, but I believe a different type of hair was used to extend her locks.  Learn more from her video here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkpdmOw1MGI

Full Wigs with Monofilament

A monofilament gives the illusion of a scalp and gives natural volume and lift to your final look. Wigs with a monofilament should have a circular inset. The monofilament can be various sizes.

In the picture attached here, the wig is synthetic with a monofilament in the bang and front area. I started cutting out the combs from my old half wigs, and I actually sewed the comb band into this full wig. I like the monofilament look plus the comb band to keep it from moving on my head!

Wigs inspired by Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj

I just saw these wigs in the Aldo Accessories store in Northlake Mall. $25 and only a few left!!! You can look like recording artists Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj in an instant! Talking about impulse buy! Just having a little fun! LOL!

Wigs and Extensions: Worried about Weight?

In this picture is a 100% Kanekalon wig that has been thinned out as well as some pinking shears from the fabric store. If you were to weigh each item separately on a scale, which do you think would weigh more?
The pinking shears weigh in at 4.75 ounces . . .
The layered wig weighs in at almost 5 ounces . . . oooohhhhh (4 7/8 oz). The wig weighs more than the pinking shears. Wow!
After weighing a 100% Human hair wig that was thinned out . . . it was about 3.75 ounces. That is an ounce or more lighter to carry around.

My point? Hair extensions, wigs, etc. can cause a lot of stress to the hair and scalp at all anchoring points. Human hair is lighter than the synthetic fibers. Weight and stress on the hair can cause thinning. The lighter the better!

Wig Wearing: Watch for Room Lighting!

Most people who wear wigs wear a synthetic fiber. Why? Because it holds the style/curl in the worst weather! Your clothes may be "soaking wet" but your hair will still be styled. LOL! I could not resist! Anyway, on a more serious note, synthetic hair wigs sometimes have a little extra shine to them. So in the wrong indoor lighting, it can "scream" "WIG!!!!!" So check out these pictures . . . Notice the huge globe and the amount of light that is bouncing off the table? Minor right? This is good lighting. You do not have to be on "wig PATROL!"
Now, look at the track lighting. Do you see the heavy lighting reflecting off the table? Your wig will be in "spotlight!" This is NOT a good table to dine in . . . without everyone focussing on how the lighting is showcasing your wig. This is a little humourous topic, but it is "real" for those new to the "wig world."

Let us keep everyone focussed on your upbeat conversation and your positive attitude!

Documenting Hair Thickening Naturally

"The After:" Fresh haircut and style. Hair and scalp can recover from thinning caused by chemicals and not enough oxygen. You must make sure that wigs and hairpieces have enough holes to see through and allow oxygen/air to get to the scalp. Be careful of drawstring ponytails. Ponytail attachments have added weight concentrated in one area of the head and they do not allow scalp to breathe. Hairpieces look cute as far as styling but save them for special events versus everyday use.
"The Before:" Yes. This is the same head of hair as above except it is a picture about 1.5 years prior. What you see is the results of several years of professional sensitive scalp relaxer services by licensed professionals in state licensed salons. This is proof that Sensitive Scalp relaxers are like using "Super Stength" all the time! Sensitive scalp relaxers should not be a preferred choice. Please copy and paste the following link into your browser window to see an article supporting that sensitive scalp relaxers can be more dangerous than traditional lye relaxers: http://www.dralisyed.com/2009/10/new-information-regarding-sens.html#more

Within three weeks of using the Gluefree QuickWeave method created by Morning Glory Products. It is a messy service, but the protective serum allows the hair to grow! Under supervision of licensed hair professional Benita Blocker.

Proof that your hair and scalp can recover without hair transplants under the supervision of licensed professional Benita Blocker. Kinky curly (Type 4c) hair is texturized using Paul Mitchell relaxers/retexturizing for more control. The scalp remains healthy without chemical burns!

This is proof (Blown out proof) that Licensed Professional Benita Blocker can grow your hair with proper chemical texturizing! (using Paul Mitchell relaxer System -- gentle enough for the most sensitive scalps!)

After growing out enough length (at least three inches all over), you can get a professional haircut and style when you are ready.

Hard Press versus Soft press

A hard pressing service is an old school art that is dying. The beautician has to know how much heat to silken the hair without burning it up. If done correctly, the hair becomes very humidity resistant. However, a downside, if done enough, the hair will lose its natural curl pattern when it is wet. The hair protein loses its natural behavior. (Please see my separate article on the "effects of heat" which describes the nature of protein.)

So if you ever want to have "wash and wear" hair, then you should not seek hard pressing on a regular basis. You should embrace your natural curl pattern.

A soft press service is a healthier option, but it can be unpredictable until your hair gets trained. Getting your hair trained can take several months; otherwise, your straight look may last for about 5 minutes in high humidity weather. Can you say "instant afro?" and a feeling of "wasted time and money?"

My conclusion on naturally curly hair is to wear it curly. If you want the occassional straight look, buy a great looking wig and get it cut and styled.