Do You Have any African American Books or Magazines Just Sitting on Your Shelves Collecting Dust?

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 SUPPORT OUR MILITARY SISTERS STATIONED NEAR THE ARCTIC CIRCLE! 

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I was so moved by The Hairs a Thought Naturalista Deployment Drive, that I started thinking about additional ways to help our troops who have limited access to African American literature and products. Thinking that it would be great to send natural hair books and media, I reached out to the Operation Paperback organization (http://www.operationpaperback.org/).

There is a group of African American service women at the Thule Air Base in Greenland who have specifically asked for books by African American authors. These women are serving at the most northern location anywhere on the globe – about 750 miles north of the Arctic Circle. They are really trying to get a nice library for their community center and are in need of donations. They are looking for all genres of books, but a hair book or two wouldn’t hurt.

So, if you have any issues of Ebony, Essence, O Magazine, etc. or books by any African American authors (e.g., Maya Angelou, Teri Woods, Audrey Davis-Sivasothy, Nikki Turner, Chris-Tia Donaldson) please donate them! Maybe you’ve written a book and would like to put a copy in their library.

Please mail all of your new/used donations to: 

Operation Paperback

PO Box 426

Wynnewood, PA 19096-0426

I will be shipping the first batch of books and media on December 3, 2011. Drop me a comment if you need additional information or have any questions.

  

Support the drive and spread the word!

Help to get their library stocked before the holiday season ends!

Help To Close Your Cuticles While You Add Shine and Minimize Hair Frizz

The weather has changed and I found myself looking for various ways to lock moisture in my hair.  In order to cut back on manipulation and handling, I wear my hair in protective styles for most of the week. Recently, I changed a few steps in my routine and can see the difference.  I started using cold water on the final rinse and a t-shirt to dry.  As a result, my hair is shinier than it has ever been before. The cold water closed my pores and cuticles-- thus smoothing my strands. It is naturally shiny without any product added! When I used the t-shirt to dry, my hair was less frizzy and the coils were more defined.

Just curious...

If you use cold water for your final rinse, did you notice a difference?

I have heard that drying with microfiber towels produces the same results as using a t-shirt. If you have tried both, did you notice a difference?

Save the Date! Nzuri Natural Hair Health & Beauty Showcase!

This event is sponsored by Miss Jessie's.

For more information, go to: http://naturalhairshowcase.com/

In Case You Have Not Heard... There's Still Time!

Hairs a Thought (HAT) is sponsoring a Naturalista Deployment Drive that ends October 1, 2011. HAT founder Briseida Bethancourt, is collecting new and "gently used" natural hair products to send to our naturalista's who are deployed overseas.

Help support our troops and donate natural hair care products they may not have access to. If you are buying any products this week, pick up an extra one to send to our troops. If you have tried a product that didn't work for you donate it to this worthy cause.

Please mail all of your gently used and/or new natural hair product donations to:

ColorMiNatural

17460 IH 35 N Suite 160-314

Schertz, TX 78154

For more information, visit: http://www.facebook.com/notes/hairs-a-thought/the-hairs-a-thought-naturalista-deployment-drive/264788846867416

No Dryers Or Flat Irons For A Year And It Made A Difference!

It's almost been a year since my last blow dry and flat iron experience. I can really see the difference from not applying any heat to my hair. My hair has gotten a lot fuller and stopped breaking off. Over the past year, I have been pretty consistent with my hair regimen and it’s working. The tools that I use are a spray bottle, detangling comb, plastic bag and a scarf. My staple products are a sulfate-free shampoo, detangling deep conditioner, leave-in conditioner and oils.

During the past year, I wore my hair in braid out styles. My weekly routine included a nightly spraying my hair with water, re-braiding in larger sections and wrapping it in a scarf. In the morning, I applied coconut oil to help seal in the moisture for the day. When I did this, it stretched my curls and cut out the "matted" look (a special thank you to Chicoro for the advice on refreshing my braid out). In addition, I co-wash 2-3 times during the week using either Aubrey's Honeysuckle Rose Moisturizing Conditioner or Giovanni's Smooth As Silk Conditioner. This is followed up with a leave-in conditioner (Kimmaytube's recipe) and a little avocado oil on the braids before they are wrapped.

Typically, my wash day required at least four hours. I started the night before by doing a pre-poo. At that time, I detangled my hair with my fingers and added either Amla or olive oil to each section before twisting it. Once completed, I tied a plastic bag* on my hair and went to bed.  I completed the shampoo process using Curls Creamy Curl Cleanser. This shampoo removed dirt without creating a lot of tangles or shedding that I've experienced with other natural shampoo products. After conditioning,  I followed the same steps as above only alternating Argan oil instead of avocado oil to seal my braids.

* (Disclaimer: It is not recommended that you sleep in a plastic bag.)

It has almost been a year since my last flat iron experience. I didn't think that I could last a year without thermal curling my hair - especially for special occasions. The challenge of retaining growth while creating styles that I could wear to formal events or the office was not easy. But, If you are on a no-heat challenge, I encourage you to keep going. You will see the difference within the first month. I will probably get my hair blown out for a professional trim early next year, until that time, my journey continues.

What are your tips for no-heat challenges or encouraging advice that you would like to share?