You get the picture…those are a lot of items to tackle head on, at the same time. But we as women do it everyday, so I will not gripe about it. For some reason tonight, I sincerely feel I’ve made peace with it all, and to complete the feeling I have at this place, I am compelled to write about it.

I was holding a conversation with a good friend a few days ago and I firmly realized that my heart is strongly tied to writing. It serves as a refuge on weary days, clarifies exactly where I am in life and fills me with sheer invigoration and hope. So, I must keep doing it – in and out of season.

• Regardless of being a new mom and wife, I must continue to write.
• Regardless of work responsibilities, I must continue to write.
• Regardless of what other people in the natural hair world are doing, I must continue to write.
• Regardless of how I feel, I must continue to write.

And I will. Because not only do I receive clarity, but I also fulfill another heart’s desire — to motivate and encourage you. Nothing brings me as much joy, and it all begins when I put my thoughts down on this blog.  Yes, I will launch a product in July, but more importantly, I will pour my all into inspiring you on the journey — regardless of where you are.

Lord, help me continue to inspire all naturalistas. I pray right now for encouragement for us all and a fresh anointing to move forward on this path. Plus, enlighten us to see all that this journey encompasses. In Jesus name. Amen.

Love you naturalistas. Be blessed!

All Shea Naturals starts with a rich base of Shea butter, combined with other natural oils and ingredients and can be used from head to toe – on your scalp, hair, nails and body for a purely indulgent experience.

Join us on Saturday, July 20 starting at 3 p.m. for the launch of All Shea Naturals hair and body products at Vulcan Park and Museum.

To register, go to: allsheanaturals.eventbrite.com (or paste address in your browser.

See you there!

I’ve been somewhat quiet on my blog, but it doesn’t mean I haven’t been working.

Quite the contrary, in fact. I’ve been working behind the scenes determining the next move for The Natural Hair Diva and sometimes, the revelation isn’t all that earth-shattering.

I have experiences now in my 4th year on the natural hair journey that I’m still passionate about sharing with you. For instance, my hair growth track; a recent shampoo and deep scalp massage administered by my husband’s strong hands (sheer delight); my more noticeably dry scalp and its root cause; or the longing for some summer hair peace — a hairstyle which allows me to get up and go quickly without spending loads of time getting my hair to “look good.” I think about you often and I’ve just determined that I absolutely love to share my experiences and connect with you in  a way that helps you navigate through. So I will do that.

Sure, I’m a forward thinker and in just a couple of days, I’ll show you the next evolution of  The Natural Hair Diva. But today I wanted to take a few minutes and make a simple announcement.

“Hey natural hair divas! I’ve missed you, and I’m glad to be back home.”

Why is it that we have not allowed other races or cultures to help us along this journey. Is it too personal for them to understand, or too intricate for explanation. That started my brain working overtime…

The Natural Hair Diva hanging with the organizers of the Natural Hair and Beauty expo in Orlando.

Okay, I can see you nodding your head right now…change is not a favorite topic for many people. But, I have one example that could help you re-examine your previously-held beliefs regarding styling your own hair. My past salon experiences caused me to desire NOT to go to any salon.

But… change comes to us all…lol! I recently went to the hair salon and allowed Darrius Peace to style my hair. He braided my left side in 15 braids and flexi-rodded my right side in a mass of dangling, coily curls. If you know anything about me, you know how  much I don’t like the salon musical chairs experience. But, against my prior notions, I’ve decided to get “professional help” with my do. Well, we’ve recently added color and tried out a few styles, which in itself, have been phenomenal experiences.

My latest hairstyle has afforded me weeks of freedom. Believe it or not, I’m headed into week 5. It has been extremely helpful considering I’ve closed out the year with speaking engagements, one of which was in Orlando (as seen in the featured photo) and completing a book and e-book. To preserve my style, I sleep in a satin bonnet at night, add olive oil for shine, tousle my hair briefly and go. The side with the braids occassionally needs to be freshened up, so I spray conditioning mist and tie it down with a silk scarf. Doing “my own hair,” I generally two strand twist at night, which takes about an hour, then take those down in the morning, which takes about an hour, and proceed to style. That’s a lot of time considering I’m doing this routine nightly or every other night.

So sure, I spent a few hours of time in the salon, but it’s saved me countless hours of doing my own hair. So, you do the math. A few hours in the salon in exchange for weeks of hair freedom. This change has been real good:)

Just food for thought.

Happy Trails, natural divas!

Keisa, The Natural Hair Diva with her husband and son.

No doubt, The Natural Hair Diva’s life has turned a new chapter. I started this year in a relationship, but not married, and committed to being the best motivational speaker on the natural hair journey folks had ever seen. I still am committed to this, but what a difference a year makes. I am now a wife, mother and author of my first book on natural hair, called “An Easy Natural Hair Care Guide.”

I’ve just closed out a year of speaking engagements across my home state of Alabama and additional cities in the Southeast like Orlando and Atlanta. I continue to write for my Web site, blog and am working on additional books. But I must consider that I have new priorities now. I’ve felt nothing but love and dutiful support from my husband, who often accompanies me to my engagements.  So now, I must remember to keep him a priority. I desire to be a loving and supportive wife to my husband and help him reach his God-given dreams.

The most fascinating thing is, God allowed me to finish my first book, with my husband and son beside me. Sure, I could have (and sometimes think I should have) completed this before now, but, with the right mate, the sky is the limit. My heart for him now is to help him live out all of his dreams and together, we soar to heights greater than we can imagine. I also realize I’m a mother to a brilliant and smart pre-teen who has the potential to soar to amazing heights, too. I realize God is holding me responsible for helping him do just that.

Please know I still have the passion for motivating women to “stay the course” on the natural hair journey. But I must temper this passion with a balanced hunger for family prosperity. After all, it’s not a God-given testimony if I prosper while my family falls apart. I will have none of that, with either immediate nor extended family.

So to sum all of this up…or case in point if you will… I recently posted “family photos” to Facebook featuring me, Steve and Tre. I’ve received more ”Likes” on that post than on anything else I have posted on Facebook — EVER! People just like seeing us in our real environment. Go figure!

WOW! I guess at the end of the day, we’re all just people. And sure, I’m a spokesperson on the natural hair journey, but I live, love and deal just as you do. I thank God for my new roles as wife, mom and author…and even the other ones as daughter, sister, aunt and friend. I want to love my circle (of loved ones) as best as I can while I can. I count it an honor that God has so blessed me to be faithful with this. Everyday I strive to do His will and be a blessing first to Him.

By the way, a special shout out to Kim Jones of Snap U Photography for these photos. Check her out on Facebook:)

Happy Trails, natural divas!

There were times when it was difficult, but I continued.

I had bad hair days, but I didn’t quit.

I know some people criticized me for making such a bold choice, but I pressed on.

And now, I can help you. What’s the moral of the story? When you make a good choice, even if it’s not popular, and hold firm to that choice despite resistance, you’re paving the way for your blessing.  Mine is two fold: first, I get to help you. Second, there’s sheer delight in knowing that I’m giving my hair the best shot it can have without harsh chemicals or additives. That alone is reason for me to celebrate.

For those who’ve paved the way before us, we salute you. You had vision when it was truly unpopular. I am so well pleased with my decision to not chemically process my hair and even though it’s not necessarily popular in Corporate America, it is gaining ground. And trust me when I tell you this, natural hair styles are here to stay. We’ve been sold a myth about us having bad hair, and that myth is being debunked every day.

Persist natural beauties, in spite of the odds. Your blessing is on the way…trust me on this one:)

Happy Trails, naturals!

Order An Easy Natural Hair Startup Guide now, the first published work by The Natural Hair Diva!

Furthermore, do you remember these items when purchasing products for your hair? I am suggesting you read the labels on the products which claim to be just for “natural hair” because there are some imposters out there. And ladies, we need to be educated when it comes to caring for our hair.

I ran across this article, and what a GREAT refresher on natural hair products’ top ingredients.

Last December, I participated in a book signing at the Birmingham Public Library. Now that I’m a published author, I make it a point to fellowship with other authors. One word of wisdom I received right off the top, “Don’t think you’ll become rich by publishing books.” I understood the point. In other words, especially when just starting out, don’t expect to become rich. Sure, it “could” happen, but don’t let that be your primary goal. The goal should be to get your information in mass distribution so others can be helped by having access to your information or instructions.

So, just what does “An Easy Natural Hair Care Guide” feature? Of course it features tips on proper hair care and growth, but it also features inspirational nuggets which I believe are just as important on this journey. I wrote this book because by far the number one question I get is “How do I get started on the natural hair journey?” In this book, I give people tips based on what has worked successfully for me. I don’t push products on people because there are so many to choose from. I will give general product selection guidelines, but that’s about all. Plus, I don’t think it’s fair to push a product on anyone knowing that it specifically gels with my own unique hair texture. Every person’s hair can respond differently. Plus, each individual woman has to do the work to learn what works best for her hair.

I also share my traumatic beginning on the natural hair journey. It wasn’t about making a fashion statement or trying a new trend. I began this journey because I had to take a new path. I share the salon experience that launched the new beginning that has forever changed my life.

Hey, it’s there if you need it! Please support me by buying a copy of “An Easy Natural Hair Care Guide.”

I am a big fan of conditioner washing, or co-washing as termed by some. It is very gentle to my hair and releases a natural curl. So far, I’ve co-washed my hair about twice in one week and each time, I’ve been impressed. I used VO5 Extra Body Volumizing Conditioner.  (Today I still use VO5 and Suave Naturals conditioner which is very lovely, too. Coconut is one of my faves here.) Here are the main reasons I’m a fan:

It saves me time. Whereas it would take me almost a half hour to shampoo and condition my hair as part of my previous routine, it only takes about 5-10 minutes max to co-wash — depending on how long I want to leave the conditioner on to work.

It saves me money. It’s actually recommended that you use a very inexpense conditioner to co-wash, like Suave or VO5. These are very budget friendly items. Now, I will take time to regularly deep condition my hair every one to two weeks. I will opt for my Creme of Nature Moisture Extreme conditioner or my Mizani True Textures curl replenish to leave on and sit under a dryer.

I see and feel a difference. I know my hair loves moisture, so why deprive it?  It is still early, but many who’ve already traveled this road have rave reviews about this practice. In fact, I may opt to co-wash almost exclusively. I use “almost” because I know my hair will need a clarifying shampoo sometimes, too. Some have recommended a clarifying shampoo twice a month… 

 I used another popular shampoo regularly and I did notice that day to day styling and exposure to our humid climate left it VERY dry no matter how much oil product I added. I tend to think my shampoo contributed, as it stripped my hair each time I used it.  I’d used a regular shampoo, but I know I’ll have to pay attention and use products with added moisture… again, when I do use regular shampoo. 

I included the link in an earlier post, but I will re-post as this explanation really helped me learn how to co-wash. If you deal with frizzy, dry hair, I’d encourage you to give it a try. And keep in mind, you will have to do this several times before you get true results for your hair.  I don’t believe in one-time wonders. Go to http://www.long-healthy-hair-advisor.com/conditioner-washing.html.

Anyway, happy co-washing…  Let me know what you think about it…