Journey to Become a True Naturalista

Hilarious Video!!!

2011-09-27T07:19:00.000-04:00

Hawthorne Canceled!!

2011-09-06T07:22:00.000-04:00

I just learned that TNT pulled the plug on Hawthorne. I must admit, I was not surprised. For the most part, good shows that start turning raunchy, end up getting shut down quit. During the last season, it was crazy. Jada's character cheated on her husband immediately after getting married!! That was a turning point. She also continuously put her lover and his family above her husband, her family and even her job. Foolishness. What is the world coming to that we except this as entertainment?

TNT released this statement.

“TNT has decided not to order a fourth season of HawthoRNe. TNT truly appreciates the tremendous dedication of everyone involved in HawthoRNe. The series gave TNT the opportunity to work with many outstanding people, including Jada Pinkett Smith and the rest of the show’s talented cast, crew, producers and writers. We wish everyone involved with HawthoRNe nothing but the best.”

Today's Hair

2011-09-06T05:44:00.000-04:00

I have been wanting to try new updos for a while now so yesterday I decided to check out YouTube. The first video I came across I decided to try.

Here are the results.

I needed a hairstyle that would look stay out of my face during my workouts and this hairstyle does the job.

Black Women, Hair and the Gym

2011-08-23T09:14:00.002-04:00

I found this article on CNN and I knew I just had to share. Thank God I am natural!!

The U.S. surgeon general stopped by the spectacle known as the Bronner Bros. International Hair Show on Sunday – and it wasn’t for a new 'do.

What better place to talk about health than at a hair show that draws 60,000 stylists? Dr. Regina Benjamin discussed the widely held belief that black women don’t exercise because it might ruin their hairstyle. It turns out Benjamin has struggled with this issue too.

The interview has been edited for brevity.

What brings you to the hair show?

Actually it’s the perfect event. My priority as surgeon general is prevention. Everything that we do is to try to build a healthy and fit nation.

What we find when talking particularly with African American women - I’m later finding this with other women, too - was that when we talk about exercise, we hear, “I don’t want to sweat my hair back or I don’t want to mess up my hairstyle. It cost me too much to get my hair done this week.”

When United Healthcare came and talked about this last year, it was a successful at the Bronner Bros. Hair Show with 60,000 hairdressers. What better audience would be to help us find exercise-friendly hairstyles?

This is trying to encourage women to continue to exercise and be healthy and give them a way to do that without messing up their hair.

Is there evidence that this hair issue is really why some women don't exercise or is this anecdotal?

There are some studies there.

I’ve talked to a number of women and that’s the first thing they’ll tell you. I know that was an issue for me. I didn’t want to mess up my hair. You sweat a lot in your hair and it changes your hairstyle completely.

Unlike other races and ethnic groups, you can’t wash your hair and go out. African Americans, most of us can’t do that. We need to spend a little bit more time on our hair. We need something that cuts down on getting hair back in a nice hairstyle. So I don’t think it’s something anecdotal. I’ve talked to women a lot because I’m doing this conference and it’s a real issue.

In the black culture, a richness of hairstory
Benjamin's office cited two studies that examined why fewer than 30% of minority women in the United States get the recommended level of exercise. The reasons were lack of time followed by "economic constraints, major life changes or traumas, safety issues, weather and environment, the hassle of personal care such as showering and keeping hair looking good," according to the American Journal of Public Health.

Has this hair issue become an easy crutch for not exercising?

It’s an easy excuse, but it’s a real excuse.

If you go out and spend $40-50 to get your hair done, you don’t want to go out and get it all sweaty and wet that afternoon before you got to show it off.

Other ethnic groups would come up and say the same thing. I’ve heard it from Hispanics. I’ve heard it from a couple of my older white patients that I have at home. They’re saying I get my hair done every weekend- I don’t want to be exercising after I get my hair done.

I don’t think it’s limited to African American women.

How Would You Feel About Getting Your Hair Searched?

2011-07-08T10:28:00.000-04:00

I would have never thought about this. This video describes how a Natural Sister has harassed by TSA and asked to have her hair searched. Has TSA gone too far?

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Interesting ... New Documentary “Dark Girls” Explores Skin Color Bias

2011-05-27T12:46:00.000-04:00

This is a bit much for me but let me know what you all think.

Dark Girls: Preview from Bradinn French on Vimeo.

Roland Martin: America, I Apologize to You For Donald Trump

2011-05-09T07:35:00.000-04:00

America, as a nearly 20-year professional journalist, it is with the utmost sadness that I offer to you a heartfelt and sincere apology for my industry’s creation and spectacle of the individual we all know — some love and others despise — as Donald John Trump Sr.

For the last two decades, my beloved media industry has chronicled every crazy antic, sadistic statement, business announcement, marriage, divorce, birth announcement and the selling of multiple products. It’s as if our livelihood depends on showering gobs of ink and airtime on “The Trump.”

We have afforded him the kind of respect normally reserved for people who have truly made a major difference in this world. Instead, the builder of gaudy buildings — replete with the kind of extravagance that would make a Saudi oil titan blush — has demanded that he be referred to as Mr. Trump. When he walks into a room, head turns, women faint and men quickly realize they are mere mortals compared to the indomitable Mr. Donald Trump. He is truly the most interesting man in the world (tongue planted firmly in cheek).

Yet with his flirtation with running for the Republican nomination for president of the United States, we have finally pulled the curtain back from this Wizard of the Weird. And what has been revealed is a man so obsessed with the sound of his voice that even when he lies, he pretends that it is the absolute truth.

Fact? What fact? I will just dismiss that with the wave of the hand or just refer to the press as Obama lovers to settle that.

With his rampant lying about President Barack Obama’s birth certificate, Trump dominated the airwaves, pushing aside any discussions about real issues of the day. With breathless promos, respected TV networks and their anchors, correspondents and reporters actually held interviews with Trump, seemingly giving him the benefit of the doubt as he continued to advance his lies.

Instead of starting every interview with the most important question, “Donald, why do you keep lying?” we fell for the okey doke as if his joining of the birther movement somehow gave their wild, outlandish and untruthful view a dose of credibility.

Magazines, newspapers and online sources also got in on the act by running a number of stories, taking his pronouncements of running for the presidency seriously and even commissioning polls that showed Republican voters held him in high regard. All based on the hyping of a lie?

All of this created a firestorm of media attention, which all culminated in the coverage of President Obama’s news conference actually releasing his long-form birth certificate.

In addition, on that day, what did we see? A split screen of President Obama and “The Trump,” who was beaming like a proud hunter who bagged his prey.

Folks, the lavish attention paid to Trump — not only over the last few months but also over the last two decades — has been pathetic and morbidly obese. And no one in the media wants to own up to the reason why respected journalists actually would ask Trump about his opinion on domestic policy and world affairs. Trump is an attention grabber and a ratings magnet. Or as Robert Traynham, host of Comcast’s “Roll Call TV,” said on my TV One show, “Washington Watch,” on Sunday: “He makes good copy.”

Folks, therein is the real issue. Ask any real journalist and he or she will laugh at the crazy things that Donald Trump says. They will admit that his only knowledge about foreign policy is the Miss Universe pageant, but because viewers and readers love to rubberneck at the scene of an accident, it is great to see the potential train wreck when he opens his mouth.

I have had producers tell me their show ratings go up when he’s on. Forget the fact that what he says is a joke, news operations nationwide have allowed themselves to be pimped into running his outlandish comments. None of the major news organizations in this country is immune from doing this. NONE.

So, why should any journalist be shocked that Trump would be so callous and ridiculous in joining the birther crowd? He knew we would eat it up, giving him tons of airtime to spew his garbage. But like crack addicts in need of a fix, Trump is willing to supply us that hit so we can achieve that high, no matter how devastating it is to our system.

The destruction he left in his wake didn’t matter. As long as got what we wanted — more ratings, newsstand sales and record page views — and he got the attention that he desired, everyone was happy.

America, for this, I am sorry. I am sorry that my media brothers and sisters failed in being honest with you. I’m sorry that even as we patted ourselves on the back for our tough interviews with him on the birther issue, it does not negate the many times that respected journalists actually interviewed the gossip page mainstay about serious matters.

We fed the beast for years, and none of us should be shocked to see the beast go on a rampage. Again, America, I’m sorry.

Let’s just hope that respectable news organizations will remember the last couple of months and leave Donald Trump and those like him in the celebrity news trash bin.

Roland S. Martin is an award-winning CNN analyst and the author of the book “The First: President Barack Obama’s Road to the White House as originally reported by Roland S. Martin.” Please visit his website atwww.RolandSMartin.com. To find out more about Roland S. Martin and read his past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

Beyonce's Let's Move Video

2011-05-02T05:39:00.000-04:00

In order to have healthy body, you must exercise. Dancing is an excellent way to do just that.

Today's Hair with Kinky Curly

2011-04-27T07:51:00.000-04:00

Yesterday morning my allergies were bothering me so I decided that my hair could using a washing (even though I had just washed my hair Friday night). I know my fiancée loves my hair right after it is washed so I decided to wash my hair with Kinky Curly Come Clean and Condition it with the K.K. Knot Today. I then gave the Curling Custard another try. I could not use the stuff before my Sister Locks because it never seemed to work for me. This time, it was exactly what my hair needed. I have not received as many compliments as I did yesterday in a long time. Here are the pictures of my two-day hair after using the Kinky Curly line.

Look at that definition!!!

Is it Just Me Or is Donald Trump's Attack on the President an Attack on the Black Race?

2011-04-26T15:26:00.000-04:00

Maybe this is a publicity stunt but his attacks on the President are very hurtful at best. First he claims that he was not born in the U.S. and now he is claiming that the President did not deserve to go to Harvard. I am absolutely infuriated at someone who would say something like this and then for him to have the nerve to say that he has a good relationship with the Black community is appalling. I don't know about you but I HATE Donald Trump (politically) maybe even more then Sarah Palin!! I think he is a dirty scumbag that is using cheap tactics to do whatever he is trying to do!!! By the way, I think he is a racist also!!

Check out his hate filled video.

"The Help" Trailer

2011-04-25T08:43:00.000-04:00

Ladies, I cannot wait for this movie to come up out!!! I think it has a lot of Black History involved in it. Check out the trailer!!

Cute Video!!!

2011-04-21T07:58:00.000-04:00

My First Sisterlock Style!!!

2011-04-14T07:46:00.000-04:00

I wanted my hair to look cute before I presented my sisterlocks to my parents. My parents do not like anything dealing with natural hair. I was told when I got my sisterlocks, to use the sisterlocks shampoo and they gave me a small bottle when I got them installed. After reading the ingredients I saw that it had sulfates in the shampoo and as many of you know, sulfates will strip your hair. I knew that that was not the shampoo for me.

Last night I washed my hair with Kinky Curly Come Clean and conditioned with my favorite conditioner, Herbal Essence Hydrolicious. I moisturized the ends with Carol's Daughter healthy hair butter and the rest of the hair minus the scalp with Carol's Daughter Mimosa Hair Honey. I used the purple perm rods to roll up my hair.

I got my Sisterlocks Installed!!!

2011-04-13T20:48:00.000-04:00

I love my usual hairstyle but at this length and with my allergies, I am spending sooo much time washing and moisturizing my hair and it is taking away from other activities. With all of this in mind, a cancer-causing relaxer is completely out of the question and my fiancée hates it when I straighten my hair and loves locs!!! I felt that sisterlocks were the best choice; with thinness of the locs, I can do so much with them. I can also wash them as much as I want to versus with regular palm rolled locs, I would have to worry about them unraveling. I also do not have to re-style my hair every morning and night. I am so excited about my new journey!!!

Curly News: African-American Women Balding from Braids and Weaves

2011-04-12T07:43:00.001-04:00

I saw this article on News One with a link to their source, MSNBC and I realized I just had to post it, especially since I have experienced hair loss due to braids.

NEW YORK — Very tight braiding or weaving is linked to a permanent type of hair loss that affects many African American women, new research suggests.

While the findings can't prove hair grooming is at the root of the problem, women might still want to take them into consideration, said Dr. Angela Kyei, who worked on the study.

"I won't tell you not to braid your hair, but I don't want you to braid it so tightly that you need to take pain medication," said Kyei, of the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

Prolonged pulling at the hair strands may cause inflammation of the hair follicle, which has been shown to lead to scarring. In principle, that could lead to a type of balding that dermatologists call central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia, or scarring hair loss.
This type of balding starts at the top of the scalp and slowly spreads to the rest. It occurs only in black women. Because there is no treatment for it, Kyei decided to try to find out what is causing it instead.

Observations from the 1960s had hinted it was related to hot-comb straightening, but little research has looked at other explanations.

Balding also linked to bacterial scalp infections

Reseachers found that women with scarring hair loss were also more likely to have type 2 diabetes, to braid or weave their hair tightly, and to have bacterial scalp infections.

The new study, published in the Archives of Dermatology, is based on health questionnaires and scalp examinations of 326 African American women.

Nearly all of them straightened their curls chemically and about one in six had scarring hair loss. More than half the women with this condition said they had braids, weaves or hair extensions, as compared to only a third of those with less severe hair loss.

"This is just telling us there is a trend and we need to study it further," said Kyei, adding that it doesn't mean these hair styles are necessarily tied to balding, which could have other causes.

"If there is any take-home message from this study, it is that hair grooming is not the only thing you should look at in these patients," Kyei noted. "If you have hair loss — specifically if you have the central type of hair loss, which is permanent — you need to seek medical attention."

Procter and Gamble donated shampoo samples for the study, which were given to the women as a reward for participating.

Product Review: Carol's Daughter Mimosa Hair Honey

2011-03-28T12:26:00.000-04:00

Carol's Daughter has done it again!! This is another home run for Carol's Daughter. In may of last year I did a Product Review on her other hairdress product, Healthy Hair Butter. I am just about out of the Healthy Hair Butter so I decided to head over to the store to buy some more. While I was there I noticed the Hair Honey and how light it was so I decided to buy it.

Company Name: Carol's Daughter
Product Name: Mimosa Hair Honey
Price: $10.50 8oz

Ingredients: Zea Mays (Corn) Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender), Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf, Trifolium Pratense (Red Clover), Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary), Rosa Damascena Extract, Malva Moschata (Malva) Extract, Urtica Diocia (Nettle), Beeswax, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Fragrance (Parfum), Alkana Tinctoria Root, Annatto Seed.

Review: I have been trying to find other products that are not quite as heavy as the Healthy Hair butter and none of them did the moisturizing like it. This product gave me lasting moisture and shine without weighing it down. One of the good things about this product is the fact that I do not have to reapply during the week. I wash my hair every 5 days to remove pollen and after I conditioner, I section off my hair and apply this to my hair to everywhere except the ends and for the ends I use the hair butter. All in all I rate this product a 9/10!!!

Did You Go to Work With Your Hair Like Looking Link That?

2011-02-22T14:06:00.000-05:00

Why are we (African-American) the first and only people so say negative things about our hair. You wouldn't believe the kind of comment that I have heard from our people about our hair. It is utterly repulsive!! Here are just a few.

"Did you go to work with your hair looking like that?"
"You know your hair would look better if you blow dried it."
"You can't where your hair natural for your wedding."
"Whoopi used to look better, then she got dread locks."
"Come sit with us at church, I want to show you off, my friends have never seen you with straight hair"
"Your hair should be straightened for your wedding day"
"Why won't you get you hair done?"

I am sick of these ignorant comments from Black people mainly women. We have to do better people!!! White people don't think this way about our hair. They love it and wish their hair was more versatile.

Today I had to rant on this subject. I was at a party this Friday and woman came to me asking me, "Did you go to work with your hair looking like that?" I told her yes. She said that she cannot go work without a wig or pressed hair because the Black women always had something nasty to say. SMH!!

Also, today I was discussing the hair style I was going to wear for my wedding day with one of my friends. She told me that my hair cannot be natural for my wedding day. I had to tell her that she was wrong and I showed her gorgeous pictures of beautiful natural brides. She quickly realized what she had said and apologized but for that to be so ingrained in your head is just mind-boggling.

The picture at the top is similar to the hair style I want to wear on my wedding date.

Glycerin in Hair Care

2011-02-17T08:20:00.000-05:00

Day I got my big chop, I saw a natural hair friend of mine with super moisturized hair so I asked what did she do to get it to moisturized. She told me that she used a vegetable glycerin and water mixture. Soon after that, I realized that many of my more moisturizing hair care products had glycerin in it so I decided to go to Whole Foods and purchase my first bottle. I used it a few times but then I became a product junky and started using all kinds of products and that bottle of glycerin ended up in the back of the cabin.

Recently, I have been coming across a few articles about glycerin and they said it was bad for your hair but did not say why. Being the curious person that I am, I decided to investigate. Two weeks ago, when I got my hair pressed and trimming, it left my hair dryer then a desert so I knew that I had to do something drastic to get moisture back into my hair so I dug into the the back of my cabinet and pulled out my bottle of vegetable glycerin. After I washed and detangled my hair, I slapped that glycerin on without diluting it. This was on Saturday night. I can honestly say that using glycerin made a REAL difference with my hair. My hair is still super moisturized almost a week later!!

Now you are saying what is glycerin?
Glycerin is a neutral, sweet-tasting, colorless, thick liquid which freezes to a gummy paste and which has a high boiling point. Glycerin can be dissolved into water or alcohol, but not oils. On the other hand, many things will dissolve into glycerin easier than they do into water or alcohol. So it is a good solvent.

Glycerin is also highly "hygroscopic" which means that it absorbs water from the air. Example: if you left a bottle of pure glycerin exposed to air in your kitchen, it would take moisture from the air and eventually, it would become 80 per glycerin and 20 percent water.

What is a possible bad about glycerin?
A warning for the glycerin-happy: If it is used by itself in very dry climates it will attract moisture from your hair instead of from the air. This can result in brittle locks. Add a teaspoon of jojoba oil to your products to prevent this.

All in all, I will continue to use glycerin except in super dry conditions.

Madea's Big Happy Family Movie Trailer

2011-02-10T13:35:00.004-05:00

Delicious Healthy Food Finds

2011-02-09T08:37:00.001-05:00

As many of you know, in order for your hair to be healthy, your body must be healthy and your body becomes healthy by feeding it good things and exercising it on a regular. I have been doing following Weight Watchers for over a month now, losing over 10 lbs!!! During this month, I have discovered some really delicious healthy foods.

1. Clementines- a sweet, small and juicy citrus fruit (0 Points Plus for Weight Watchers)

2. Chobani Greek Yogurt- this yogurt is the bomb!! One of my favorite flavors is Strawberry. This yogurt is packed with protein and only 140 calories and only 3 Weight Watchers Points Plus

3. My new favorite cereal is Cinnamon Burst Cheerios!!! This stuff is loaded with tons of fiber and taste like Cinnamon Toast Crunch!!! The best part is the calorie content and the serving size. It is only 110 calories for a whole cup that means only 3 Weight Watchers Points Plus!!!

I eat these foods every weekday morning and since clementines are 0, I eat anywhere from 2-4!! The most important fact about weight loss is to drink 8 cups of water a day for a total of 64 oz. and regular sodas and juices are an enemy to your weight loss. It you have to drink something sweet, try Crystal Light or a Diet soda.

Willow's Natural Hair

2011-02-08T11:30:00.000-05:00

I saw this video and I just had to post!!

Is Pressed Hair Really Easier to Manage then Naturally Curly Hair?

2011-02-08T08:16:00.001-05:00

Two weeks ago I did a Search and Destroy on my split ends but I still felt that I needed some more ends to clipped some I agreed to have my hair pressed and the split ends trimmed by my childhood beautician. The first part was the blow-drying part. Getting my hair blow-dried hurts like the dickens. Secondly, she had to press my hair twice to make sure she could see the split ends.

My hair was straight for less then 24 hours. After one shower, my hair was poofy and after one workout, the back part of my hair was almost back to being the natural kinks with the exception of the dryness that my natural curls don't have. After all of this work, someone had the nerve to tell me, at least it is easier to manage now. I was thinking to myself, "Are you crazy?" a press and curl is much harder for me to manage then my natural curl. I have to take so many precautions every time I even consider working out or doing out in a drizzle and after moisturizing my hair everyday, it is still chronically dry!!!

This brings me to a question, do you think a press and curl is easier then your natural curl?

Happy Black History Month!!!

2011-02-07T08:59:00.001-05:00

For this month, I am going to spend some time celebrating our proud history and the contributions that we have made as a people. Below is an article on the contributions that our sisters have made.

Women of the Sisterhood

African Americans have had major contributions to our westernized society. African American women have had ingenious contributions that have improved American society. Maya Angelou is one prominent African American author/poet that is known world wide. Maya is not only known for her writing, but also for her struggle and triumph of what she has been through, as told in her dearly loved book "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings." Maya, whose real name is Margarite, was born in 1928 and raised in Stamps, Arkansas. As told in "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" Maya, like many other black kids during that time, was sent along with her brother to live with her grandmother in the south. Maya went to a segregated school in the south, and she also got some education in San Francisco. This education and instruction was paralleled by the people in her life her mother, who was an entertainer, her grandmother, and her mother's friends. Living. living in San Francisco Maya acquired the power and command of imagery and language. She had a voice and one significant thing that bought this voice out to the world is Angelou was raped as a little girl and she vowed not to ever say a word again. One person broke that long ending vow.

Maya's teacher urged Maya to read poetry. Maya became enchanted with the work of William Shakespeare, as well as many others. Soon Maya began to write her own poetry.
Maya wrote of her life and the many things she had seen through her years. Much had to do about discrimination and battles that African Americans have overcome through the years. Now because of Maya's thirst for more we women, we African American women, are a step further in the world. Maya also wrote about rights as blacks, and also rights as black women living in a cold world of a rainbow of colors. And this is said because the world is full people of different races and very different backgrounds. And this is where we get our cultural rainbow of colors that greatly enhance the world that we live in. Others besides writers like Angelou have influenced and changed this world. Actresses such as Dorothy Dandrige and Esther Role have proved to the entertainment industry that black women could achieve more in a movie besides being a maid, or a house-slave.

Actresses like these have paved the way for the new black faces of today to get a part and prove to every one that they can get the job done. credit should also be given to BET (Black Entertainment Television) for setting examples of industrious African American people doing something positive. Many women are now seen on the screen and this continues to happen on this channel.

The last Female influence can be seen as the most important contributors in this world, the black mother. Because no matter what she is there and instills the rights and wrongs to her child. Even though they may not turn out to be the best of kids, and are sometimes thought of as being wild and rowdy they have certain values that they have to live up to, for the love of their mothers. It is shown that the mother is the very backing for today's world as shown in a survey taken in North Hagerstown High, when asked who credit goes to for their lives the students asked said their mother. So one can clearly see the black women is a strong and influential one.

Please read an analysis of Maya Angelou's "On The Pulse of Morning" on this web site.
Source: Angelou, Maya "Written By Herself" Vintage Books, 1992

Search and Destroy

2011-01-17T20:01:00.000-05:00

It has been a long time since I did a serious cut on my hair and this time I had some major split ends. Here is a chart of what split ends look like. I had ALL of them except for f. I ended up cutting off about 1 inch.

In the scheme of things, it does not seem like a lot of hair but it felt like it when I was cutting it off. This time I cut my hair while I had micro twist in my hair and therefore it was easy to see what needed to be cut, (the extra puffy ends).

9 Year Old Whips Her Hair on Ice

2011-01-04T08:23:00.002-05:00

Check out this little girl whipping her hair!!!